Ali Mau vows to battle harassment
TV star Ali Mau has vowed to help young Kiwis harassed over their sexual preference.
The high-profile presenter is one of a raft of famous faces behind a Rainbow Youth campaign, launching today. The hard-hitting viral campaign aims to raise awareness of the harassment that young gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people still experience in New Zealand.
‘‘[The campaign] is an exclamation of outrage and a real question mark: ‘Why is this happening?’,’’ Mau said.
‘‘The campaign is for that younger age group who are really vulnerable and take things to heart. You are desperate to belong and every little snub feels like an arrow straight through the heart. They need our protection and our help.’’
Mau, who has vowed to marry her fiancee Karleen Edmonds, also spoke out against what she considers the Government’s lack of urgency in moving to legalise gay marriage.
‘‘I think that the fact that it has not been a priority, when I see it as a basic human right, is a bit shameful.’’
Prime Minister John Key said earlier this week he would support a member’s bill at first reading, to allow the legalisation of gay marriage to be debated in select committee – but said it was not his government’s priority at this stage.
‘‘I am glad he [Key] has come out and said that, but I wonder why he hasn’t said it earlier,’’ said Mau, who proposed to Edmonds earlier this year.
‘‘When issues like that are dealt with, then the pressure on young people and the [disapproval] of young gay people becomes less.’’
Mau said she and Edmonds were determined to wed rather than have a civil union – even if it means having the ceremony overseas.
‘‘The likelihood is we will have to do it offshore but I would like to get married in New Zealand, thank you. This is my home, I’ve lived here almost 20 years and it would be lovely to pick some beautiful spot on a cliff overlooking a black-sand beach and get married.’’
Mau recalled feeling harassed over her choice of sexual preference when, in 2010, she was pursued by media desperate to break the story of her same-sex relationship.
Close family and friends knew about her relationship with Edmonds, but Mau felt forced to notify many people who didn’t.
‘‘I had to panic and ring . . . all my friends who didn’t already know,’’ Mau said.
‘‘People should be allowed to make the decision to come out publicly and to their families whenever they choose to. That was taken away from me completely.’’
Mau even had a security expert explain defensive driving techniques so she could lose photographers.
But she says she received overwhelming support from family and friends, and wishes that for others who want to be comfortable about their sexual preference.