The Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington will display trans-inclusive colours on Saturday. Photo: Supplied/ Michal Klajban, CC by S-A 4.0
Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre will be lit up in the trans-inclusive flag colours on Saturday night as a show of support for the rainbow community.
It comes after Te Papa decided a controversial event - organised by Inflection Point NZ to stop what it calls "gender indoctrination and medicalisation" of children - could safely go ahead.
Mayor Tory Whanau said Wellington City Council stood with the rainbow and takatāpui community.
"We have seen before the sort of division and unrest that these events cause for our Rainbow community. The safety and security of staff and our community is paramount," she said.
Speakers at the event include Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki, former National Party member and former MP Simon O'Connor, as well as others from overseas.
"I am extremely concerned that rhetoric at this event is harmful to our trans and queer community," Whanau said.
The Progressive Pride Flag features a chevron that includes colours representing trans people and other groups as well as the traditional rainbow pride colours. Photo: AFP/ Allison Dinner
The council has a commitment to recognising diversity and inclusion in the capital, Whanau said, and building a city that rainbow communities felt safe and included in was a key priority.
"In this city, discrimination will never be tolerated. Pōneke is a place where everyone can live with dignity, equality, and respect. End of story."
Council staff had helped with risk and safety assessments ahead of the event at the Tākina conference centre. Additional security measures would be in place and Te Papa would monitor the situation.
Social, Cultural and Economic Committee chair and rainbow councillor Teri O'Neill said work had also been done to ensure the safety and well-being of the trans community.
"The council has a role in making sure our rainbow and takatāpui communities are safe in the city, and so we're reaching out to our business and community networks to facilitate spaces where people can decompress and take a breather on Saturday."
This week Destiny Church was called out by a member of the rainbow community for using the tagline 'A Time to Kill', in advertising for an event, and Tamaki publicly claimed responsibility for a rainbow zebra crossing being covered in paint in Gisborne.
Church members were also charged in connection to another rainbow crossing being vandalised with paint, in Auckland.
Heated protests by Destiny Church members have led to the cancellation of Rainbow Storytime tour events, children's book readings by drag queens at library's, before the tour's organisers pulled the plug on all remaining dates due to safety concerns after threats of violence and the publication of the home addresses of people involved.
