The Department of Corrections has been asked not to march in this year's Auckland Pride Parade because of their treatment of transgender prisoners.
The Auckland Pride Board says organisations that take part in the event should be able to show they are supportive of their rainbow staff. The board says for Corrections, that criteria extends beyond staff to include "those under its care, including those in prison".
Corrections has faced criticism over the past few years for their treatment of transgender prisoners.
In August 2015, Corrections apologised to prisoner Jade Follett after her application for transfer to a women's jail was lost. She was then moved to a women's prison.
In October 2015, a transgender prisoner was allegedly beaten and raped at Wiri prison, although Corrections has confirmed that these charges were dropped after an investigation.
Policy introduced in 2014 is designed to "allow flexibility" in cases where inmates have been unable to change the gender on their birth certificate.
Corrections told Newshub that since the policy was implemented, all transgender inmates who have applied for transfer have had their application approved.
But the Auckland Pride Board said on Wednesday they have seen "no evidence" that Corrections has implemented their Transgender Policy.
Kirsten Sibbett, co-chair of the Board says a lack of firm evidence has left the board unconvinced.
"We have not seen a published policy and the evidence that we have heard from people within the prison or working with prisoners is that the reality is different.
"The Ombudsman's report also suggests that there are still significant challenges. We are pleased if certain policy changes have been made, but we still haven't been convinced that these have yet resulted in positive outcomes," Ms Sibbett says.
The Department of Corrections says they are disappointed by the stance taken by organisers, and that they have staff who wanted to march in the parade.
"Corrections has a diverse staff, including many people from the LGBTI community who are proud to work for Corrections and we are proud of them," Acting Northern Region Commissioner Alastair Riach said in an email to Newshub.
Mr Riach said Corrections recognises transgender prisoners "are a particularly vulnerable group" and they have been working on a new approach that will "bring New Zealand into line with international best practice."
"We are disappointed that is not enough for Pride organisers", he said.
The board says it was a complicated decision where "the desire for inclusion conflicts with the need to ensure that organisations taking part in Auckland Pride are supporting the rainbow communities".
In a letter written to the Department of Corrections, Auckland Pride said Corrections' participation in this year's parade was understood to be based on their ability "to demonstrate significant progress in the conditions for transgender prisoners".
The board has unanimously decided Corrections failed on that front.
Prison abolitionist group No Pride in Prisons supports Auckland Pride's move, saying they hope "Corrections takes this rebuke as a wake-up call."
"As the recent Ombudsmen’s reports showed, conditions in prison are deplorable," Emilie Rākete, National Press Spokesperson for No Pride in Prisons said.
"Transgender prisoners experience some of the worst excesses of this neglect. No Pride in Prisons advocates have had to buy bras for transgender women and give them to these prisoners because Corrections did not allow women in men’s prison to buy appropriate undergarments. Transgender prisoners can go months without seeing endocrinologists, and some have been on insufficient hormone regimens which may expose them to risk of bone disease," Ms Rākete said.
"Corrections has no right representing itself in a pride parade as long as these human rights abuses continue," she said.
In the letter to Corrections, Auckland Pride says they would be keen to consult with the community on ways they can assist Corrections in formulating transgender prisoner policy.
The board also asks that they be included - along with Auckland City Rainbow Communities Advisory Panel - in the list of groups consulted by Corrections.
Newshub.
