Merepeka Raukawa Tait: Love Thy Neighbour

The story of two women in Mangawhai targeted by an unknown person in their community makes you wonder if we're ever going to make any headway.
The women, lesbians, are in their 60s and have lived in the area for a number of years. Mangawhai is a lovely spot and they obviously made it their home, enjoyed living there and just got on with their lives. Lesbians and members of the gay community tend to do that. They're in all communities; don't have gay or lesbian tattooed on their foreheads, so you wouldn't think they were any different from any of their neighbours. But someone in Mangawhai has decided they are different, and it's this difference that is not liked or wanted in the community by this individual.
This year the women have been subject to anti-gay graffiti appearing on their property and worse, their work studio was burnt down. These are the actions of a callous, narrow minded bigot. Thankfully we haven't got to the stage where we can choose so-called "desirable neighbours". Our once "look alike", orderly and quiet neighbourhoods and "same look" neighbours have changed. We are all different from each other and we all have the same right to choose for ourselves where we want to live.
Neighbours can sometimes be difficult to get along with. We have seen the Neighbours from Hell programme on TV to know they do exist. But I believe most neighbours want to peacefully co-exist and get along with each other in a non-intrusive way. The majority are tolerant of differences. When I worked for IDEA Services, the provider of residential services for IHC, I was often abused by neighbours when we bought a house in a nice area and moved in. For some strange reason they felt we were people of lesser value than they were. They would assure me their properties would be devalued by having us as neighbours. They said we were not like them. In one instance the neighbour told me they were business people in that area and we didn't fit in. I was sworn at and the men and women living in our houses were often harassed as they walked by. Members of Parliament were persuaded to write to me. They wanted to know why we hadn't consulted the neighbours and why we didn't buy a property nearer the hospital. It never occurred to me to consult the neighbours when I bought my own properties over the years, so what's the difference? The difference is our communities have become diverse and some people feel uncomfortable with this diversity. We don't know who will be moving in next door. We may have neighbours from a different culture and background speaking their own language. Some may look different to us. Some could have a physical, mental or intellectual disability. They could, heaven forbid, be a "big fat happy family of six children with dozens of happy loud friends". That's community and here to stay.
They are all trying to fit in as best they can. No one needs the added pressure of having to justify themselves to neighbours who don't understand, respect or value diversity. In Mangawhai, someone has a problem with two women living together. We still retain this fixation in New Zealand of concerning ourselves with "who is sleeping with whom". There is no other reason for these women to be targeted. We all have our prejudices but if some people want a say in who they think is suitable to move in next door, are they prepared to undergo the same scrutiny themselves? I don't think so. They're the "desirable neighbours" after all. They, of a higher human value.