quote:

Ok so I am gonna put my head on the line here a wee bit, but I feel I need to as this article actually makes me a bit angry.

I love my Maori/Pasifika trans sisters and brothers more than anyone and my track record in supporting them speaks for itself.

These protesters may have a very valid point and I totally agree that trans people are mistreated by the prison system. I know in the past and probably still today they are mistreated by the police. I totally support them in their fight for equality and justice.

However.......this article/press release contains lies.

Myself and a bunch of others were across the road watched the whole thing unfold right before us and we watched it from start to end.

It did not take 25 minutes for medical help to arrive as stated. Yesterday I read a press release form them stating they did not get medical help for 45 minutes (they have obviously changed their story a bit). St Johns was with them withing minutes. I think Paul Rose may have timed it and said it was 11 minutes. To me and others it seemed like about 5 minutes or even less. St Johns were stationed near by.

The young Maori trans woman was not " ... noticeably targeted by security" as they have stated. She was being the most aggressive and fighting back when they tried to move her off the road. In no way at all did it seem like any security was like "lets get her coz she is young Maori and trans". This in my personal opinion is totally playing the racist / transphobia card. The protesters where aggressive and defiant.

From our view which was directly on to the whole incident not once did any of us think/say that unreasonable force was used from a security or police stand point. They had to be moved off the road and they were refusing to move. So they were physically escorted off. If I were in charge of security / police I would have instructed them to do exactly what they did.

Heather Carnegie did not "assault" any of them at any time. She did try to help escort them off the road and she looked like she was a bit pissy that they were sticking an ipad/iphone/camera in her face and filming it so she did grab it and tossed it several meters away. It seemed to me like after they were off the road and settled down she was actually concerned with the wellbeing of the young trans woman and seemed to be checking is she was ok etc.

As I mentioned, I support them in what they are fighting for. I absolutely support peoples right to peaceful protest. I totally acknowledge that transphobia is a huge and serious issue, but I don't support these protesters lying in order to get sympathy.

Perhaps they can engage with the Pride Festival in a more constructive way next year. March in the parade and publicise their message??? Just a thought.

http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/5/article_16503.php

Exclamation Marx posted:

Infotainment! posted:

We live in a 21st century capitalist democracy. Equality is having everything you hold dear about your identity used to market bullshit. Seriously.

Butt Wizard posted:

Also, 'Pinkwashing' redux:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/66570376/pinkwashing-statement-on-lgbti-politics

cptn_dr posted:

Boo loving hoo. That poor little bank, being so viciously targeted by those mean gays. When will society stand up for the little guys trying to do the right thing?

dusty posted:

You mean those poor loving gays being targeted by trans-activists.

When a social justice protest is indistinguishable from a homophobic attack it's a loving disgrace.

dusty posted:

You mean those poor loving gays being targeted by trans-activists.

When a social justice protest is indistinguishable from a homophobic attack it's a loving disgrace.

quote:

http://hashtag500words.com/2015/02/21/political-statement-regarding-vandalism-of-gaytm/comment-page-1/#comment-4748
Uncool, “Queers Against Injustice”, uncool. You paint yourselves as such a socially and politically aware group who has some really potent objections to the commercialisation of LGBTQ identities, but you fail to address the fundamental flaws in your act. As a visibly queer person, if I were to walk past any type of LGBTQ themed object, whether it be an ATM or a shopfront or a work of art, and I see it vandalised, that makes me scared. There’s no context, there’s no message, except that this is an act of anger. But since it’s so vague who the anger is addressed to, and why, I then have to continue my walk home in fear that there is potentially someone nearby who has every reason to want to hurt me exactly as they “hurt” this object. If you’re so enlightened, I’m sure there are other ways you could get your point across, and I am surprised and disappointed that you didn’t consider the affect your actions would have on LGBTQ people, especially the young and closeted, who are highly likely to interpret this act as a threat to their own safety. Stop fear mongering, and learn broadcast your opinions in clear and non-intimidating way.

quote:

If the Pride Parade is meant to represent the queer community but makes the space unsafe for sections of that community which are still suffering massive marginalisation and oppression from wider society, then not only is the Pride Parade disingenuous but it also files[sic] in the face of its own history.

quote:

If a protest is meant to represent the queer community but makes the space unsafe for sections of that community which are still suffering massive marginalisation and oppression from wider society, then not only is the protest disingenuous but it also files[sic] in the face of its own history.

Ghostlight posted:

How visibly queer?

dusty posted:

Which unfortunately for his argument is functionally identical to:

Ghostlight posted:

This is the kind of situation in which you apply intersectionality rather than using the discrimination against one group by society to discount any criticism of it by its subgroup(s).

bobbilljim posted:

I guess in an ideal world all at risk groups would have access to free PR consultancy so that they can protest correctly

bobbilljim posted:

sorry if it was unclear, but sometimes I use exaggeration to emphasise a point

dusty posted:

Matty Dentith has written a thing on the pride parade protest.

fong posted:

Dusty isn't so good at critical thought, news at 11...

dusty posted:

/for the record I don't think intersectionality and the existence of trans discrimination is reason enough to invade the safe space of a marginalised group with violent protest. gently caress em, what sicko oval office thinks its a swell idea to invade a pride parade and fight with security guards?

Slavvy posted:

I don't see anything unreasonable about this view and I'm slightly nonplussed at why other people in this thread disagree.

Exclamation Marx posted:

it's not clear at all that the protest was in any way violent

Ghostlight posted:

I personally just disagree with how reductive, non-representative and privileging it is rather than the actual sentiments it contains.