Unions affirm sexual and gender diversity.

Fifty delegates from a wide range of unions attended the second biennial Out@Work Kamp on the Kapiti coast last month. Unions represented included the Public Service Association, the Post Primary Teachers Association, the Association of University Staff and the Service and Food Workers' Union. NZNO members, attending the event for the first time, were Auckland City Hospital neonatal nurse Pegg Link, Trentham Military Camp nurse Kate Kirkaldy, Massey University (Wellington) nursing student Joanna Robson, Whitireia Community Polytechnic nursing lecturer Eleanor Gully, Kimberley Centre nurse Donald Nathan and Wellington organiser Huia Welton.

The Out@Work network is about sexuality and gender diversity and includes a wide range of people and experiences--gay, lesbian, intersexed, takataapui, transgender, fa'afafine and bisexual people, a virtual rainbow of workers. Organised by the Council of Trade Unions (CTU), the network's purpose is to support workers, create networks, increase awareness and understanding, and help make changes in law and within our unions to ensure workplaces are safe for all workers.

The conference was action packed, with workshops on a variety of topics including barriers in the workplace and strategies for change. The kamp also gave us a chance to develop or improve our skills at talking to managers, co-workers and unions about our experiences and the need for fairness and support.

Statistically, between three and ten percent of the population is gay or lesbian. This means that up to 4000 of NZNO's 39,000 members are gay or lesbian alone. Our lives have been marginalised and minimised, at very least, and we often have no support networks within our workplaces. While the law protects us in some ways, much damage can be done through people's attitudes and behaviour. The members who attended Out@Work felt strongly that it is time for an official NZNO network to address these issues. As a starting point, members chose Kate Kirkaldy to be our representative on the CTU Out@Work council. We also agreed on two goals for the coming month. First, we need to tell our stories, to begin the journey of awareness and understanding for all of us. Next, we will present a report to the board of directors with the information they need to consider establishing a formal Out@Work network within NZNO.

The nurses I work with are accepting and supportive, and NZNO staff are strong advocates of diversity in general. However, some members' negative reaction to NZNO's Civil Union Bill submission shocked me. I was proud to see NZNO supporting this important Bill, yet I was saddened and frightened to hear the homophobic responses expressed by some members of the "caring profession". These views indicate there is work to be done in this area.

NZNO has a proud history of being a leader in both respecting and celebrating diversity. We continue to work at being in true partnership with Maori and in establishing Te Tiriti o Waitangi as our guide. Out@Work is another opportunity for NZNO to take a leadership role. The Civil Union and Statutory Relationship Acts will hopefully address many issues for both our patients and our members. However, the damage caused by homophobia will only truly stop if these Acts are accompanied by a change in our attitudes, and true acceptance of those different from ourselves. How we treat our patients is an important part of our professional duty; how we treat our colleagues is a reflection of our humanity. Homophobia must not be tolerated in NZNO. Making real change in that area is up to all of us.

For more information or if you are interested in joining or supporting Out@Work, please email [e-mail].