Rainbow groups and activities

Community profiles on PrideNZ.com

PrideNZ.com is a creative and positive web space for Queer/LGBTI voices from Aotearoa New Zealand. It has interviews with Queer/LGBTI Kiwis talking on a wide range of topics. The audio files can be streamed or downloaded, and there are also transcripts of some of them. Interviews cover Arts and Culture, Community Profiles, Education, Health and Wellbeing, History, Identity, Media, Organisations, Relationships and Youth. There are also video interviews on the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and Rainbow Touchstones. Plus queer art and photography.

Creating Our Stories – the beginnings of a queer toolkit

PrideNZ.com is calling for local LGBTI communities to get involved in an exciting new media project called "Creating Our Stories".

The project, which is being funded through the legacy fund of the 2nd AsiaPacific Outgames, will develop audio and written "how to" resources around researching, capturing, organizing and preserving stories from a queer perspective.

"We are currently seeking people who would like to have some input or involvement" says project organiser Gareth Watkins. "If you have expertise in any of these areas and would like to share your knowledge, or if you have ideas about what should be in this type of educational toolkit we would love to hear from you."

The project will focus on four areas:

1. Research: Ideas and tips for queer study. For example types of institutions you can approach, things to look for when uncovering hidden pasts.
2. Capture: How to capture good recordings - basic oral history practices, cultural considerations, technology.
3. Organise: Principles behind event management - practicalities, sponsorship and marketing for events and exhibitions.
4. Archive: Ideas for creating and maintaining an organization’s or personal archive, caring for digital archives.

For each area an audio podcast will be created highlighting various techniques and putting forward practical tips. From these podcasts, key points will be identified and shaped into "how to" resource sheets.

This project is the starting point for a community toolkit that will enable queer communities to better capture their stories for future generations. The toolkit will be made freely available on the not-for-profit website PrideNZ.com and be deposited with an archive.

If you would like to be involved – either offering your knowledge – or suggesting ideas about what should be included please contact PrideNZ.com before the end of January 2012 - email pridenz.com

Glamaphones - Wellington's gay and lesbian choir

The Glamaphones, Wellington's gay and lesbian choir (formerly known as The Homophones) welcome all of our communities and our friends to join us in our first end of year extravaganza as a full 4-part harmony choir.

The choir, made up of people from our Wellington LGBT communities, will sing from our international repertoire with a distinctly angelic feel. From Robbie Williams, through Sarah McLachlan and Billy Joel with more obvious angel-orientated titles, you'll feel heavenly after the choir's rendition of Faure's Cantique de Jean Racine and uplifted by a gender bender song, I feel pretty, from West Side Story. They'll even prove angels can be a wee bit cheeky (as well as fun, funky and fabulous!).

And if it inspires you to lift your own angelic voice and join the choir, even better! More info on their website www.homophones-wellington.net. Rehearsals are on Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30pm, at St Mary's Hall in Boulcott Street, 50m up the road from the church.

Rainbow Bowling League

On Sundays at 5.00pm at Strike, 399 Hutt Road, Lower Hutt.
After a hugely successful Asia Pacific Outgames held in Wellington in March 2011, the Rainbow Bowling League has been re-established, allowing friends and family of the GLTB community to come together and enjoy the sport of Tenpin Bowling. Playing 3 games of tenpin, in teams of 2, this social competition is a whole lot of fun. Cost is only $20pp and includes games, shoe hire (if required) and also weekly prizes and competition trophies. For more information, and to register your interest, please email rainbow@strikenz.co.nz.

Queers Gone Kiwi

Queers Gone Kiwi is New Zealand's mostly social group for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Immigrants. They gather every Wednesday from 6 pm at S&M (Scotty and Mals) cocktail bar and lounge at 176 Cuba St, for informal drinks and chat. Just turn up or email queersgonekiwi@yahoo.co.nz if you haven't been before or it has been a while and you would like to be introduced to the group. QGC also organise other events from time to time - theatre trips, Easter camp ... just email them.

School's Out

School's Out is a support and hang out group for queer, gay, lesbian, bi, transgender, takatäpui, fa'afafine, and questioning teenagers (12-22) in the Greater Wellington area - and they're on Facebook.
Email them at queer_schools_out@hotmail.com.

The Gay Welfare website www.gayline.gen.nz has podcasts of queer youth sharing their stories of coming out.

Rainbow families

There is a national Rainbow Families website and emailing list www.rainbowfamiliesnz.org to exchange information around NZ and also just to chat about raising our kids LBGT style!

Rainbow Families Wellington is a regional eGroup for local and regional activities, events and news. Activities are organised for the second Sunday of each month.

Pride and Joy Play Group

A play group for pre-school children from diverse families including sanme-sex parents and donor families of any flavour. There are also weekend lunches once a term for school age children

If you think your children would benefit from getting to know kids from families like theirs, email Stephanie at pride_and_joy@ymail.com