Takatāpui and rainbow communities reject the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill

As takatāpui and rainbow tauiwi, we stand with the leaders of te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti to reject the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the basis of legitimacy for the New Zealand state. When it was signed, it did not erase Māori sovereignty and rights, but promised ongoing tino rangatiratanga. The Bill is a dishonest and cynical attempt to remove the state’s responsibilities to Māori and to dishonour the agreements made in 1840. We reject this Bill’s attempts to redefine history, indigeneity and human rights.

Since the protest movements of the 1970s, the histories of Te Tiriti justice and rainbow liberation have been closely intertwined. We’ve walked together for these and other kaupapa. Indigenous rights are central to human rights, and we will always show up for tangata whenua. We reject this Bill’s attempts to grow division. 

Our communities were harmed by British colonisation, which suppressed takatāpui and rainbow ways of being, introduced stigma and judgement, and brought in laws and medical models that criminalised and pathologised rainbow lives. When we work to realise rainbow rights, we’re working for decolonisation. We reject this Bill’s basis in white supremacy and its denial of the harms of colonisation.

We know what it is for our existence and rights to be made the target of public debate. At the same time that we’re seeing these attacks on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity for Māori, we’re seeing misinformed debates around transgender people that echo the toxicity we saw through the conversion practices ban, through civil unions, through Homosexual Law Reform. Being on the end of these attacks is harmful, exhausting and demoralising. We reject this Bill’s attempts to spread disinformation and platform ignorance.

We call on the government to withdraw the Bill immediately, to cancel all of its current and proposed actions to remove Treaty responsibilities from laws, policies and government agencies, and to recommit to honouring the Crown’s commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

At the same time, we call on rainbow whānau to take action: join te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti and ongoing actions on this kaupapa, talk to the people around us about why everyone should reject the Bill, and take the time to listen to the voices of this movement. 

Signed

This statement is signed by 29 organisations/groups and 180 individual supporters:

Te Ngākau Kahukura
Intersex Aotearoa (Intersex Trust of Aotearoa New Zealand)
Rainbow Hub Waikato
Rainbow Path
Qtopia
Q Youth Inc.
InsideOUT Kōaro
Chinese Pride New Zealand
Mana Tipua Trust
Manawatu Lesbian and Gay Rights Association
Paekākāriki Pride
Burnett Foundation Aotearoa
Rainbow Greens
Gender Minorities Aotearoa
Outline Aotearoa
RainbowYOUTH
Auckland Pride
Whangārei PROUD
Rainbow NZSL Club
“BEING U”
Adhikaar Aotearoa
The Joyful Movement
Rainbow Focus
Pride in Medicine Australia and Aotearoa NZ
Rainbow Wellington
Mana Āniwaniwa
Out in Aotearoa
Sparrow Consults
Silent Gays