networking for thewellington gltbi community |
Our Sponsors
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Our Sponsors
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All friends, family, performers and work
colleagues that were unable to make it to Johnny’s funeral service are invited
to This is a chance for you to farewell Johnny
in style – and to say your good byes. A microphone will be available if you
wish to This is a “Remembrance” service, not a
memorial service, so lots of fun and frivolity is expected – just the way
Johnny would Remembrance”
service at S&M’s Cocktail and Lounge Bar, 176 Cuba Street
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Date |
7-8pm
Beginners |
8-9 pm
Intermediate |
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29 April |
Swing
Waltz |
Cha Cha Cha |
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6 May |
English
Foxtrot |
Ballroom
techniques |
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13 May |
Tango
Terrific |
American
Smooth |
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20 May |
Rumba |
Samba |
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27 May |
Jive |
Latin
Techniques |
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3 June |
Queens Birthday no class |
Queens Birthday no class |
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10 June |
Revision |
Revision |
Notice: Wellington Dancesport Competition Saturday,
12 May 2012. Waikanae War Memorial Hall, Pehi Kupa Street, Waikanae, Doors Open
@ 12 noon for a 1 pm start. This mainstream competition is featuring
seven Same Sex events.
After a short hiatus
over summer the Pink Ink Gay Men’s Gook Group is back. We meet monthly and
discuss &
share books/DVDs short stories etc
we have read/watched recently.
All welcome. If you
are interested, contact Howard for details of the venue.
Email:
pinkinkbookgroup@gmail.com
Mobile: 027 274 4200
Abode Cafe, 28 Cornwall
Street, Lower Hutt's only out and proud gay owned and operated cafe!
Featuring queer artists and live performances every Sunday from 11.30am. While you are there
why not pick up a
free copy of Express?
Here is the line-up
for the next few weeks:
Sunday 06 May
Incognito
Sunday 13 May
Mothers’ Day Big Yellow Caravan
Sunday 20 May Inish et al
Sunday 27 May
Tonic/Harmony Lane
Abode Cafe and Catering, 28 Cornwall Street, Lower Hutt -
abodecafe@gmail.com, 0210739232
Tuesday Pinknics
Every sunny Tuesday* give your gaydar a midday work-out and come for lunch on the lawn at Parliament.
Gather near the trees by the statue of Richard Seddon (directly in front of the steps to Parliament) between noon and 2pm (up to you how long you stay!!).
This is a completely casual event - turn up, or not, there's no organiser.
*(cross fingers there'll be a few of these over summer).
JOIN US!
If you'd like to get involved and give something back to the community call
us, Gay and Lesbian Helpline, on (04) 473-7878 or email helpline@gaywellington.org.
You'll be joining a group of over 30 volunteers with a wide range of age and
experience. You choose what you want to do, from taking helpline phone calls to
assisting with groups like School's Out, Newcomers and the Lesbian Drop-In. You
can also help out with day-to-day tasks like fundraising, promotion or social
activities. It's an excellent way for you to develop new skills in life and
meet new people.
NEED HELP COMING OUT?
Newcomers is a confidential support
group for guys coming out. The gathering meets every second
Wednesday from 6pm to 7.30pm and talks about people's stories and coming out
issues, as well as what's on in the community. If you're interested in coming
along, check out www.gaywellington.org
and send us an email or give us a call on 473-7878.
Lesbian Drop-in is a similar group for women.
They meet on the first Thursday of the month, usually at Anvil House, 138-140
Wakefield St, 1st floor
if you're interested in coming along, check out www.gaywellington.org
and send us an email or give us a call on 473-7878 and leave a message for Jo
with your phone number or email her at jo.morrison.nz@gmail.com.
Wellington's gay and lesbian choir The Glamaphones
Wellington's
Gay and Lesbian Choir has entered a new phase in its
growth as it announces a new, and very fitting name. Formerly known as the
Homophones, the choir has evolved with the addition of women to become the Glamaphones.
"The name says it all - our full voice complement, thanks to the
enthusiastic involvement of our new alto and soprano singers who add that
exciting element of glamour. And it's important to pay homage to our heritage
by keeping the "phones" part of the name", says choir committee
chair Mark Beehre.
The combination of male and female voices in the choir came about following the
hugely successful Sing Out! choral workshop and
concert held earlier this year as part of the Asia Pacific Outgames.
as part of the Asia Pacific Outgames.
Following the Sing Out! event there was such
enthusiasm for a mixed-voice gay and lesbian choir that The Homophones invited
the lesbian singers who had taken part to bring their talents and spirit to the
group.
The choir has just held its annual camp preparing for its concert in November.
The new
choir is now well established and sang at Rainbow Wellington's mid-winter
dinner, celebrating the 25th anniverary of Homosexual
Law Reform.
Rehearsals are on Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30, at St Mary's Hall in Boulcott Street, 50m up the road from the church.
Contact Jo Calascione jocal101@gmail.com or
Jan Suckling jan@suckling.net.nz if you are interested or for more info.
Jan Suckling
Ph: 021 762
872
12 March 2012
This has been another busy
and successful year during which we have continued and advanced our programs.
Social
Pub nights and our two
annual dinners have been the mainstay of this program
as usual. We have consolidated and reviewed the list of locales and
arrangements for the former, deleting some and reinstating/ adding Library and Pollux, and celebrated twenty five years of
decriminalisation through the latter. This had its hiccups but I think most
people enjoyed the event. It was certainly
more than compensated by our end of year function at the Cheeky Pipi; thank you
Phil.
We have also been able to
expand and develop our visiting speaker series, mostly on human rights matters and
will be continuing with these into the future with a number of interesting
prospects in view. Amadee has put a lot of effort into this in particular and I
am glad to acknowledge that through this report (not to mention her organising
of occasional walking events).
Sponsorships
We sponsored both Out in the Square and Out-takes again this year. The latter
continues to make a healthy come back. We have been able also to make a small
one off grant to an organisation which has been starting up in the past year
and we trust they will continue to build and develop. We remain a full member
of ILGA. Just as a footnote also to our sponsorship of the Outgames
last year, we have received some return on our financial support from that
highly successful venture and we have earmarked this for subsequent
sponsorships.
Our relations with the gltbi media have continued to be positive through both gay
Express and gaynz.com.
Campaigns
Our current prime minister John Key continues to ignore us, and to treat
gltbi events and concerns as mainly opportunities for
public relations. It is disappointing to see some within our communities
falling for it. It is also beyond disappointing and verging on the alarming to
see the appointment of Judith Collins as Minister of Justice (and thus as
holding the portfolio for human rights).
"Crusher' Collins was a strong opponent of civil unions in Opposition, and
I do not think we can expect much progress on our issues in the current term
with her as Minister. We have nevertheless written to her setting out our main
concerns and seeking what (if anything) we might expect to see by way of
initiatives over the term of the government.
We have done the same with
the other main political parties in parliament and have already had a response
from both the Greens and Labour in that context. By the time this report is
considered we will have met with both and I can report further verbally. We
will be urging them to work co-operatively on our issues on most of which they
share ground. Issues raised have included such priorities as gay marriage,
single gender adoption, homophobic bullying in schools,
and the implementation of To Be Who I Am. On this latter we have urged those
who have taken up specific issues to pursue their concerns through the Human
Rights Commission where we think a good deal of progress could be made but they
do not seem amenable to this and are fixated on changed the HR Act.
Notwithstanding the
government's lack of enthusiasm for progressing gltbi
rights, we have approached Ministers on a range of individual issues which have
included: the failure of our representatives to publicly get behind US and
British
UN initiatives on discrimination against gltbi
communities in a significant number of member states; transgender issues
regarding the housing of prisoners and the recording of gender on birth
certificates; and homophobic bullying.
Our issue regarding the
blocking of Wifi access on an apparently
discriminatory basis by the McDonald's chain seems to have regrettably stalled
partly over the failure of McDonalds to respond in any positive way to the HRC
mediation process and because it would be hard for us to make the case at the
Human Rights Review Tribunal. This latter is not because a case cannot be made
(although it would not be cut and dried) but because our pleas for some
professional evidence regarding the technology involved has not met with a
membership response. If we do not have this formal evidence we cannot proceed.
Our efforts to seek a
rapprochement with the Salvation Army have continued and we have made
significant progress although that has been pretty much under the radar to
date. We now have an agreed exchange of views and are working on a joint text
to go public by way of a media release. The outcome may surprise some people.
We have met with the new
chair of the Human Rights Commission by way of a courtesy call and were very
cordially received. His background is in disability issues but he seems to have
a sympathetic understanding of our concerns and is clearly willing to fill in
any gaps he may have in his understanding.
Finally in this area it
looks as if there is going to be some progress on the blood donation issue with
the desired movement among larger metropolitan governments, in Europe in
particular, starting to happen. We remain in touch with the Blood Service at
their initiative over this.
Membership and Patronage
Our individual membership
remains disappointingly static. Our secretary in particular has to spend far
too much time chasing people up and I must repeat what I said last year. Our
annual sub is very modest, particularly in relation to what we do for members,
and it is something that people should not have to be reminded about.
We are also delighted to
welcome on board a new vice patron Jan Logie following her election to
parliament.
Housekeeping
We have initiated a review
of our objectives and our constitution so that these reflect our current
activities and strategic objectives. The changes entailed will be considered
during the AGM and, I hope, endorsed.
Board membership and
attendance has been good and I thank board members for their work and input,
especially our secretary Tony Reed who has somehow learned the trick of not
needing sleep so that he can work on your behalf. This has added a new terror
to opening one's emails but is all to the good for the members. And new blood
on the Board is always welcome, of course.
Tony Simpson
Chair of Rainbow Wellington
You're invited...
On Sunday's at 5.00pm at Strike,
399 Hutt Road, Lower Hutt
After a hugely successful Asia Pacific Outgames
held in Wellington in March 2011, the Rainbow Bowling League has been
re-established, allowing friends and family of the GLTB community to come
together and enjoy the sport of Tenpin Bowling.
Join in the fun and invite your friends to join us each Sunday at 5.00pm
for some real GAY bowling.
Playing 3 games of tenpin, in teams of 2 this social competition is a
whole lot of fun.
Cost is only $20pp and includes games, shoe hire (if required) and also
weekly prizes and competition trophies.
For more information, and to register your interest, please email
Ph: Dion
Leslie on 0276 554 531
Wellington Whites -
New Zealand's first gay football club is now up and running in preperation for the Outgames.
Initially we are a men's five-a-side team and will be playing in the outgames as our first
tournament followed by Culture Kicks and
hopefully one day an eleven-a-side team.
Our motto is
'Bringing Football Together' represented by the silver ferns coming together in
our logo, as we appeal to all.
Please get in contact
with Gavin Green on freelancegavin@yahoo.co.uk with all enquiries.
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