Warrant Officer Annie Clarkson with some of Rainbow Warriors, a photographic exhibition that tells the stories of 25 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender former and contemporary personnel from the NZDF. Photo / Supplied
Rainbow Warriors - a photographic exhibition telling the stories of 25 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender former and contemporary personnel from the New Zealand Defence Force - is at the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa, Waiouru.
The exhibition was developed in 2019 as part of Pride 25, a series
of events commemorating 25 years of LGBTQ+ personnel serving openly in the NZDF, and recognising the journey of the NZDF from exclusion to becoming a world leader in military LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The exhibition includes large portrait images accompanied by individual personal stories, each of them both inspirational and poignant.
Warrant Officer Annie Clarkson of NZDF’s OverWatch Group contacted the National Army Museum to see if it would like to exhibit the images. OverWatch supports the needs of the Defence Force’s LGBTQI staff – both in uniform and civilian clothes, and provides education to its leaders so they understand different sexualities and gender identities. She received a positive response and the exhibition runs until January 31.
“The images are very powerful and the stories inspiring, some of them a bit heartbreaking to start with,” Clarkson says.
