23 June 2024

Wellington Pride Festival is being sued by Margaret Curnow and Helen Oxley, a representatives of an anti-trans group called Lesbian Action for Visibility Aotearoa (LAVA). The case will be heard by the Human Rights Review Tribunal (HRRT) in 2025.

In early 2021, Wellington Pride Festival (WPF) made the decision to not accept LAVA’s request for a stall at a gala event after the community alerted us to their anti-trans views. LAVA is a small group of anti-trans activists.

This was to protect trans*, non-binary, intersex, and all gender minority attendees who we wanted to feel safe, accepted, and supported to be themselves by everyone at Out in the City.

We do not – and will not – accept organisations that are vocally anti-trans, like LAVA, into our events. In the HRRT case, LAVA are alleging they were discriminated against by WPF because of our decision to not accept their stall request for Out in the City 2021

A version of LAVA existed in the 1980s as well, but they were not interested in trans issues then. Since reforming in 2020 to “fight the influence of gender ideology”, LAVA has said that trans people don’t belong in the rainbow community. LAVA’s views are also that:

• “Women = adult human female”, and that trans men are women

• Recognising and respecting trans people harms children.

WPF representatives have been through two Human Rights Commission mediation processes with LAVA, but LAVA is insisting on taking us to the HRRT. WPF will always defend our trans whānau, and we are ready and determined to represent our inclusive rainbow community during these proceedings.

WPF was initially assisted by the Wellington Community Law Centre, and since September 2023 has been represented pro-bono by a legal team led by Victoria Casey KC and Sally McKechnie and Shan Wilson at Simpson Grierson.

The hearing will likely take place in 2025 in Wellington.

Given that this is a live case, WPF is limited in what we can say publicly at this stage. We will do our very best to answer questions from the community about what is happening and how it is going.

It’s really important that the rainbow community does not engage with Ms Oxley, Ms Curnow or LAVA about this case due to rules about intimidation between parties in the HRRT.

People who want to support WPF’s defence can help by donating to our Wellington Pride Festival - Legal Givealittle to raise money for upcoming expenses in the case, such as for our expert witness support and other legal costs.

We will share more about this case when we can. Ngā mihi