I have attended many protests, but this is the first time I feel fearful for my safety. I will not sit at home while Nazis and Terfs attack my right to be who I am. I will protest Nazis and Terfs who dare to touch my rights.
Moments like this, when the most vulnerable people in our country are forced to fight to exist, capture the state of our nation. Trans people are not significant in numbers, but I know thousands of people in Aotearoa are compassionate, caring and kind and will not stand for Keen-Minshull’s hatred.
Last week Keen-Minshull hosted an anti-trans rally in Melbourne that was supported and attended by neo-Nazis who marched on the streets doing the Nazi salute. I hoped Immigration New Zealand or Minister of Immigration Michael Wood would step in and prevent Keen-Minshull from entering Aotearoa. But, no, Immigration NZ has thrown trans people under the bus, and Wood refuses to exercise his statutory powers to push the brakes.
When the Government abandons trans people, we turn to each other - the people - for solidarity. Thousands have vowed to attend a counterprotest today in Albert Park at 10.30 AM.
I understand some think Keen-Minshull has a right to freedom of speech. Neo-Nazis attended Keen-Minshull’s event in Melbourne. Nazis believe in the complete destruction of Jewish people. If we could go back in time and ask people who died in genocides like the Holocaust: what is more important - your lives or the Nazis’ freedom to express their hatred for you? The answer would be obvious.
We must look at this event in the context of the rise of violence against queer people in Aotearoa. Last year, Rainbow Youth was burnt down in an arson attack and Gloria of Greymouth, a queer church, was vandalised, and a rainbow flag was burnt and staked on their lawn. There are protests outside drag story hours every week, and a school is shutting down because they cannot practice conversion therapy.
Anti-queer hatred and violence are at an all-time high. In my view, Keen-Minshull’s rallies will normalise hatred towards queer people and embolden people to act on their hate speech.
Speaking earlier on Thursday, Keen-Minshull confirmed links to Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). In 2023, CPAC said, “transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely”. In 2021, Keen-Minshull called on cisgender men to carry guns and use women’s toilets to protect cisgender women from transgender women.
Transphobic people will tell you to fear me. Their fearmongering about trans people convinces many cisgender people to believe that we are a threat to society. Don’t believe them. I am nothing to fear. It is my people who have to live in fear of violence from transphobic groups and I am tired of living in constant fear.
I am calling on you to be a part of liberating my people from this constant fear of violence. If anyone ever comes for the rights of vulnerable people in Aotearoa, I will be the first person in the streets protesting with them. Today, my rights are under attack. If you do not stand with me today, there will be no one when left to stand with you when the fascists come for your rights next.
My people are under attack. I need you, and so do my people. From one human to another, I implore you to show up today, stand with trans people and drown out Keen-Minshull’s transphobia.
Shaneel Shavneel Lal (they/them) was instrumental in the bill to ban conversion therapy in New Zealand. They are a student, model and influencer.
