A round-up of media about Pride 2026 so far
It’s always interesting to see how Pride is covered - or not - in mainstream media.
Around 15,000 people turned out for a glorious beautiful Pride Parade last Saturday… and it received very little coverage. But let’s move on to the good stuff instead shall we?
Breakfast TV
Our Chair Joanna did a live cross from Cuba Street talking about the Festival, and highlighting one of the windows in Rainbow Windows of Wellington.
Pooches in the Plaza on the Sunday Sads
DJ Pinky did a review of her favourite part of Out in the City - Pooches in the Plaza!
And photographer Em Boyle got some amazing photos of the dogs - here’s a selection of our favourites!
New Zealand Herald
Janhavi Gosani came along to the Hīkoi and Out in the City and spoke to people about why they were there that day.
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little told the Herald he was walking in the hīkoi because it was “important, as a civic leader, to support our LGBTQ community”.
Little said while Wellington was a “very welcoming” and “inclusive” city, there was still “a long way to go” to fight for the acceptance and human rights for queer people.
She also put together a video from the day, and covered some of the history of the event.
Sunday Star Times
Kylie Klein Nixon wrote a lovely personal piece reflecting on our history:
And while all that suburban anxiety was bubbling away, Des Smith and John Jolliff were off helping organise a fair at Newtown School with the theme “a fair for a fair law”, in support of legislation that would mean their love was no longer punishable by jail.
A fair and a pun. What’s not to love about these guys?
At a time when parts of the country were loudly opposed to reform, that kind of visibility took guts.
Des and John went on to be first in line for civil unions in 2004. Their document was stamped number one. Later, they married. The same country that once debated whether they should be criminalised now recognises their relationship in law. I doubt any of us watching the news or at that fair in 1986 imagined Aotearoa could do that.
I get a little teary thinking about it, if I’m honest. To have seen that shift in one lifetime is pretty bloody brilliant. Love is love, and that’s the law of this land.”
A photo of the article in the paper
PrideNZ.com archives
The team at PrideNZ recorded the opening speeches from Out in the City as part of our continuing history.
Mayor Andrew Little, the Tiwhanawhana and MC Homer Neurotic on stage
Gingers Podcast
A room full of lesbians, politicians and activists fresh off the Wellington Pride Parade… and a live conversation that got very real, very quickly.
This episode of the Ginger’s Podcast was recorded live at Zealandia Ecosanctuary during the official afterparty for the historic Wellington Pride Parade. Our Leading with Resilience panel brings together three powerful voices to talk about what it actually takes to lead - and fight for rainbow communities in Aotearoa right now.
Hosted by More FM’s amazing host Lana Searle, the panel features:
Dr Ayesha Verrall - Labour Party Minister of Health and one of Parliament’s most senior lesbian MPs.
Tamatha Paul - Green Party MP, scrappy legend and Wellington Central electorate MP.
Joanna McLeod - founder of House of Boom, fat girl advocate and Chair of the Wellington Pride Festival.
The kōrero covers growing up queer, navigating politics and representation, the culture wars hitting rainbow communities right now, and what these leaders say they’ll push for if they return to government in this year's election.
Quick note: this was recorded live in a packed room and I tried hard to keep one huge reaction to our Honorary Ally sharing some personal gems, but Riverside’s Magic Audio decided the cheering was less important than the talking. So you cant hear the applause... but it was DEAFENING!
