LGBT Rights In New Zealand
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have most of the same rights as other people in New Zealand. At present, the remaining exceptions are the right to adopt children as a couple, and the right to marry. However, New Zealand enacted legislation that permitted civil unions in 2005, which allow couples many of the same rights as married couples. This near-equality is a relatively recent development; sex between men was only decriminalised in 1986.
As of September 2012, a private member's bill to legalise same-sex marriage in New Zealand is before Parliament, and is currently at the Select Committee stage.
Read more about LGBT Rights In New Zealand: History and Law Reform, Gender Identity/expression, Relationships, Civil Unions and Same-sex Marriage, Discrimination, Adoption and Parenting, Criminal Justice, Politics, Sports, Pride Events, Realm of New Zealand
Famous quotes containing the words rights and/or zealand:
“The Civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext, be infringed.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)
“Teasing is universal. Anthropologists have found the same fundamental patterns of teasing among New Zealand aborigine children and inner-city kids on the playgrounds of Philadelphia.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)