Repression

Some of the other laws which discriminate against gays were discussed: these included the prohibition of adoption; total lack of taxation relief for dependents in gay marriages; lack of other privileges for the married such as purchasing rights, State Advances loans. Gays mentioned discrimination in employment and discrimination against children of gay parents.

Another form of discrimination was mentioned—female prostitutes are fined $40—$75 whereas males can get twelve months imprisonment.

A gay who had been through Teachers' College described his own harassment. It was impossible, he said, to be able to act straight all the time, and when the pupils found out they continually ridiculed him.

Another case was brought up by a lecturer who knew of a student who had been failed terms because the tutor knew the student was gay.

It was pointed out that there were even more hassles for school pupils, some of whom fail because of hangups about their sexuality. People get the impression that the best cure is to get out, screw some woman and settle down in suburbia; but the problem came back later even worse. One said that he had ended up in mental institutions. The psychiatrists themselves could not agree: Porirua had given him shock treatment to cure his homosexuality, which left him only worse; he overdosed and ended up in Sunnyside, where he was told there was nothing wrong with him and he needed rest.