It's the bitterest debate in modern politics. Fights over transgender rights have contaminated political debate in the US, UK and Australia but they've mostly passed New Zealand by. In 2021, a self-ID law making it easier to alter sex records on birth certificates and other documentation was passed unanimously. A small number of doctors and academics, including emeritus professor Charlotte Paul, have spoken up about the exponential growth rate of prescriptions for puberty blockers - allegedly 10 times the rate per capita of the UK. But in the past 10 years, the political, media and health establishments have generally taken the side of the transgender community and supported their right to healthcare and legislation that affirms their identity.
That bipartisan consensus is unravelling. The coalition government has agreed to "ensure publicly funded sporting bodies support fair competition that is not compromised by rules relating to gender", a demand made by New Zealand First aimed at restricting transwomen athletes from competing in women's sports categories.
National's coalition agreement with NZ First also contains a provision for "the removal and replacement of the gender, sexuality, and relationship-based education guidelines". And after a series of poor poll results, NZ First leader Winston Peters recently announced his intention to introduce a member's bill to "protect women's spaces".
It will ensure that every new non-domestic, publicly available building contains unisex and single-sex toilets, and introduce a new fine "for anyone who uses a single-sex toilet and is not of the sex for which that toilet has been designated".
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Sights to behold
Being blind didn't deter Aucklander FRASER ALEXANDER and his partially-sighted wife from travelling in Europe. Their memories were shaped by sound, touch and smell.
Pages of delight
Charming survey of children's literature throughout the centuries should be treasured and reread.
Heart of the matter
Women are less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than men, and less likely to get best treatment. Researchers are struggling with old stereotypes to right the balance.
Balaclava beats
Their paramilitary shtick is intentionally menacing, offensive and alienating, but to be fair to the hip-hop trio Kneecap, their infamous balaclava is disarmingly hilarious. Kneecap, the 2024 movie that offers a fictionalised account of their rise to fame, is a Bafta- and Oscar-nominated Northern Irish film sensation.
Friends like these
One of the stranger characteristics of the populist oligarchy mobilising around Donald Trump's new administration is the interest taken in the domestic politics of the UK.
Irresistible force
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Fleeing the nest
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Life less ordinary
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Not on our watch
Nasa, one of the most technologically advanced organisations on the planet, made prospective astronauts take inkblot tests to determine their sexuality.
No free lunch
The new, cut-price school lunch programme will shut out many community providers. But will bulk-supplied meals meet children’s needs?
