Thousands reject anti-trans movement at rallies against Posie Parker tour

There were bubbles, there were tears and there was hope as about 3000 people turned up to support the trans community at rallies in Christchurch and Wellington, held in protest at a planned speaking tour by a British gender activist.

It came at the end of a week that saw Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, granted a visitor visa only to flee the country after she was attacked at a rally in Auckland on Saturday.

Parker is regarded as a women’s rights campaigner to some, and an anti-trans activist to others.

She had been due to hold speaking engagements in Auckland and Wellington this weekend as part of her Let Women Speak tour, but left the country overnight after chaotic scenes on Saturday.

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Harry Potter author JK Rowling, whose views gender and the transgender community have caused controversy, described the scenes in Auckland as “repellent”, saying a “mob assaulted women speaking up for their rights”.

On Sunday, a large crowd gathered in central Christchurch to show their opposition to Parker’s stance.

Many in the Christchurch crowd said they saw the large turnout at the city’s Bridge of Remembrance as a turning point in Aotearoa’s LGBTQIA+ history.

With police watching on, supporters sang, danced and waved placards with slogans like “I just want to exist”, and “Human rights are not negotiable”.

Among them were children, including Finn Hancox, 11, and brother Zac, 9.

Dressed in colourful outfits, Finn summed up the sentiments of many in the crowd when asked why he wanted to come along with his mum, Elly. “We choose love not hate,” he said.

Even Smokey the dog turned out in his best tutu to show Otautahi’s opposition to Parker being in the country.

For Keegan Burrow, the gathering showed the strength of the trans community, even though it often seems hidden or silent, he said.

“And it shows that in New Zealand when there is something important that people want to stand up for, they will turn out.”

Organiser Jen Shields spoke of Georgina Beyer, the first openly transexual MP, and how she spoke on the steps of parliament for the Civil Union Bill in 2004 in front of thousands of the church’s followers.

“Nineteen years later and we are channelling our Aunty,” Shields said to widespread cheering. “I know she would have been on the front lines.”

A number of people with views different to the protesters attended the rally, among them Destiny’s Church pastor Derek Tait, who drew considerable vitriol as he filmed himself walking through the crowd.

Tait said he was just going for a walk when asked if he supported the protest. He was quickly surrounded by police, who escorted him away as the crowd jeered and chanted loudly, “Go home Derek, go home.”

Organisers stopped one protester as he tried to spray something over Tait, and another called him a “baby” and a “bigot”.

“Take your outdated rubbish views away with you,” the man said to Tait. “Just go away, no one wants you. You’re less than the dirt under my foot.”

Tait replied: “Just because we disagree, doesn’t mean we hate.”

Only a handful of counter-protesters from Destiny’s Church Man Up group were visible at the protest. One of the members flanked Tait closely as he mixed with the crowd. As they left they were widely booed.

A social worker for 40 years, Cynthia Spittal told the crowd she was overwhelmed by the support the trans community was receiving, making many including the organisers emotional.

“Thank you for making my family welcome in the world.”

Christchurch city councillor Sara Templeton, who was at the event, told supporters the city had seen its “fair share of hate in many forms”.

While she was proud of the changes she was seeing in the community, it wasn’t enough, she said. “It takes all of us to act.”

Ilam’s Labour MP Sarah Pallett was cheered after she proclaimed trans rights were human rights.

Organiser Nick Winchester was thrilled with the turnout and fought back tears as the crowd sung the well-known waiata Tūtira mai ngā iwi.

“To have this many people turning up to show love in the face of hate is awesome.”

Wellington turnout hits 2000-plus

Heatstroke, rather than confrontation, was the main concern for event organisers Queer Endurance/Defiance in Wellington. Signs on display in the crowd included “Nans 4 Trans”, “Get Souped” and “Trans Rights Are Human Rights”.

It was a celebratory event, with around 3000 trans rights supporters crowding into Civic Square on a sunny afternoon. There was over an hour of speeches, mostly from trans women who spoke about their experiences.

Unlike the Auckland and Christchurch events, the anti-trans supporters were few and far between.

Tristan Cordelia, opening the rally, thanked Tāmaki Makaurau for sending Keen-Minshull home “with her tail between her legs” and turning what could have been a confrontational rally into a party.

Those attending the rally were thrilled with the event.

“I’m a part of the queer community as well, and I’ve got to stand up for my people. If no one else will, I f…ing will,” said Krutika Sanat Mishra​.

“It’s been a thrill, it’s a rush. It’s been heart-touching and it gives me goosebumps.”

The rally and support showed you “have no right to judge who anybody is, nobody, not even yourself”, Mishra said.

Tabby Besley​ from InsideOUT, a charity supporting rainbow young people, was in the crowd at the rally.

“It’s been a beautiful show of love and support for our trans communities, with such a clear message of spreading love and not hate. It’s been amazing to see the support that’s come out in support of trans rights.

“We were prepared that there might be [confrontation], but it seems like only a couple of people who were not in the same waka, so to speak, who have turned up. And they’ve been able to safely leave, receiving a clear message that we’re not here to listen to hatred.”

The only sustained confrontation was around an anti-trans protester holding a sign.

Her cardboard sign was taken away from her by the crowd and later ripped into pieces by a trans rights supporter who said “We’re not having this shit” as she threw it to the ground.