The founder of a group for queer Māori (takatāpui) says the community is still running into discrimination, two years on from marriage equality.
Nearly 1800 gay and lesbian couples have tied the knot in Aotearoa since it was legalised in 2013.
Tiwhanawhana is a Wellington-based takatāpui group based around kapa haka and tikanga.
Elizabeth Kere Photo: Eastern Institute of Technology
The group's founder and chair, Elizabeth Kerekere, said same-sex marriage had been life-changing for those who wanted it, but little had changed in terms of the level of discrimination takatāpui experienced.
She said there were also issues specific to a marae setting.
"Is it alright for a trans woman to do the karanga? Is it alright for our trans men to whaikōrero on our marae? Is it okay for someone transitioning inside a kapa haka group to change rows?" she said.
"So there's those really practical day-to-day things. There's issues around if someone's transitioned and is taken home for a tāngi. What gender and pronouns do the whānau use?"
Ms Kerekere said takatāpui often encountered racism, on top of discrimination, based on their gender or sexual identity.
Listen to more about the impact of marriage equality on takatāpui on Insight, after the 8am news on Sunday morning.
