The intersex flag flies outside New Zealand’s parliament. | Photo: Twitter/@janlogie
New Zealand made history to become the first country to raise the intersex flag outside its parliament.
The intersex flag flew proudly alongside the rainbow Pride flag, transgender flag and bisexual flag for the historic moment.
Usually our flags #OnTheForecourt welcome international visitors, but today we’re flying the #LGBTI flags for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism & Transphobia (#IDAHOBIT) – the first time the intersex flag has been flown by a national parliament. pic.twitter.com/mMm0RltCxs
— NZ Parliament (@NZParliament) 16 May 2018
New Zealand flew the flags as part of its celebrations for IDAHOBIT.
IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex-phobia and Transphobia) is an annual day used around the world to draw attention to the violence and discrimination that LGBTIQ communities continue to experience around the world.
A monumental moment
‘Flying the flag at Parliament yesterday was a formal acknowledgement that we see everyone, and as a House of Representatives we wish to represent everyone,’ Green Party MP Jan Logie told media.
Logie said about 2,000 people identified as intersex in New Zealand. But ‘most things in the world tell us they don’t exist and we are all either male or female’.
The colors of the intersex flag are the gender neutral yellow and purple. They’re used to represent intersex people who are born with several variations in sex characteristics, such as chromosomes, sex hormones or genitals, which do not fit the definitions of typical male or female bodies.
Intersex Youth Aotearoa (New Zealand) described the flag raising as ‘monumental’.
‘A monumental moment as the intersex flag is raised outside the New Zealand Parliament Buildings for the very first time….Thank you to all people involved in today’s powerful IDAHOBIT ceremony,’ the group wrote on Facebook.
