Gay Liberation Taranaki Newsletter – May 1976
Organisation: Gay Liberation Taranaki
Date: 5 May 1976
Location: New Plymouth, Taranaki, Aotearoa New Zealand
This is Newsletter No. 27 from Gay Liberation Taranaki, dated 5 May 1976 — placing it right in the heart of early queer organising in the region, a full decade before homosexuality was decriminalised in New Zealand (1986).
Key details captured in this newsletter
🗞️ Community circular planned:The group was preparing a circular to be delivered to homes in New Plymouth, showing early attempts at direct public outreach and visibility.
🎟️ Fundraising plans: Mentions of a “big legal raffle” and plans to print membership cards point to grassroots fundraising and formalising membership.
🏳️🌈 National connection: The group had written to other gay groups about hosting a national gay conference in 1976, showing ambition to connect Taranaki into the wider national movement.
👥 Growing participation: Notes 15 people attended the last meeting with around 20 apologies — suggesting a significant active membership base for a provincial centre in the mid-1970s.
📍 Meeting place:**Next meeting to be held at the Highlands Intermediate School staff room, Coronation Avenue, New Plymouth — indicating how community groups relied on informal, borrowed spaces.
📞 Mutual support and access:**Offers phone contacts for transport to meetings, highlighting care networks and accessibility within the group.
📝 Signed by:**Les, Secretary/Treasurer — a recurring key organiser across multiple years in the archive.
