A petition accepted today by National Party MP Jo Hayes, endorsing abhorrent fringe views on sexuality and gender diversity education in schools, is dangerous to young New Zealanders

"Jo Hayes has given a megaphone to intolerance by accepting this petition, which promotes dangerous, fringe, and baseless views on sexuality and gender diversity education in schools," says Young Labour President, Sara Elgoran.

Hayes accepted a petition of Helen Houghton calling for "the Ministry of Education to remove learning intentions for teaching gender diversity in the sexuality education guide."

"LGBTQI young people already have tragically high rates of suicide and mental health issues. Sexuality education is incredibly important and it shouldn’t be a political football.”

Ms Houghton’s petition, signed by more than 40,000 people, was reportedly shared widely in international anti-LGBQTI Facebook groups.

"The curriculum should be decided by professionals, not by parliamentary petition. Jo Hayes should immediately front-up and disavow these dangerous views,”

In a 2018 report on sexuality education in New Zealand schools, the Education Review Office said "High quality sexuality education is critical to children and young people’s development and wellbeing."

“Young Labour has long advocated for the rights of trans and other gender minority kiwis to be recognised and celebrated. We must call out transphobia when we see it,” says Young Labour Rainbow Officer, Hamish Shaw.

“As such, Young Labour calls on members of the Education and Workforce select committee to see this petition for what it is: a dangerous and vile political stunt from a place and intolerance,”

“These views have no place in New Zealand,” says Ms Elgoran.

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