Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: Whanganui Pride Week interrupted for second year in a row

This year's Pride Walk will still be going ahead, albeit slightly differently. Photo / Neil Jones

A number of events in this year's Whanganui Pride Week schedule have been postponed as a result of the ongoing Omicron outbreak.

Pride Whanganui trustee Christina Emery said while there were still four weeks to go until the week launched (February 26), she could see "the writing on the wall".

"Cases in Manawatū are gathering every day, and locations of interest are spreading to places like Hunterville and Waiouru.

"Because we attract people from a whole lot of different regions, not just Whanganui, it didn't seem overly sensible to hold those events where we are encouraging lots of random people to gather."

The events in question are the annual Pride Party at the Whanganui Musicians Club, The Pride Youth Festival, Authentic You Evening, the Rocky Horror Shadowcast at the Royal Whanganui Opera House, Night on the Awa, and the long lunch on Dublin Street Bridge.

Everything that couldn't go ahead had been postponed rather than cancelled altogether, Emery said.

"Under the red light setting we could actually have 100 people at the party, but you have to look at costs and how you make a profit from that rather than just spend money.

"People are dancing, sweaty and close. It's not like a sit-down dinner where we can separate them."

Pride Week in 2020 escaped Covid-19 by mere weeks, while last year's events had to be stretched out over several months.

"This year we are still fortunate to be able to run our Pride Hub and our art exhibition, Emery said.

"There are artists contributing to that from outside Whanganui, which is really cool. Going forward, I think this could be something we can really grow into a massive event."

The exhibition will be on every day throughout the week, from February 26 to March 5.

Other events to make the cut are the annual Pride Walk and the Pride Quiz.

"On the Friday (March 4) we will still have our Wear The Rainbow Day, because you can literally do that anywhere, any time," Emery said.

"Our quiz will be hosted online via Facebook Live, with the app Kahoot. Hopefully, people will dress up, jump online, have a few drinks and do it that way."

Emery said the walk would still be going ahead on March 5, but rather than everybody meeting at the Whanganui River markets and heading off around the bridges, people could pick their own spots for a stroll.

"We'll jump on Facebook Live at 10am for an intro, and get everyone walking together.

"There's still that solidarity of movement."

This year's theme was all about history and honouring the past, Emery said.

In 2019 it was 'Start the Conversation', followed by 'Education is the Key' in 2020 and 'Active Inclusion' in 2021.

"We're going all the way back," Emery said.

"We're talking about takatāpui, before we were colonised as a country, about the struggles that happened to people in the 1970s who started to try and make a movement, and what happened in 1986 (Homosexual law Reform).

"It's about remembering all those who put themselves on the line, who lost their lives, who couldn't come out, and who lost friends and loved ones.

"The sacrifice was momentous."

While huge progress had been made over the years, prejudice towards the rainbow community still existed today, Emery said.

"We've been posting bits and pieces about events and cancellations and we're still getting people taking the piss out of it and slandering it.

"Until the day that disappears, we can't disappear."

Emery said there was a large population of older rainbow people in Whanganui.

"When I meet up with them and talk with them, I can understand why no one knows about that population.

"In their lifetime they were killed, jailed or beaten up. They were persecuted. How can you come out and say 'I am proud of who I am' when you have that threat?

"I want people to be aware of those who have fought so hard for us to be who we are."