Sonya Apa Temata
Sonya Apa Temata | |
|---|---|
| Born | New Zealand |
| Occupation(s) | Nurse; activist |
| Known for | Campaigning for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the Cook Islands |
Sonya Apa Temata is a takataapui human rights activist and nurse of Cook Islander, Māori, and Tahitian descent.[1] She specialises in advocacy for the LGBTQ community in Oceania.[2] She has spoken out about how the criminalisation of gay men is a legacy of Christian missionaries[1] and British colonialism in the Pacific.[3][4] Temata helped organize the participation of Pasifika people in the pride parades in New Zealand.[3]
In 2019, Temata organised a petition[5] in support of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the Cooks Islands, which was presented by the Te Tiare Association to the Government of the Cook Islands, who were considering repealing the law.[3][6] The petition had come about because the Parliament of the Cook Islands had decided to remove a clause[5] from the 1969 Crimes Act[7] that prohibited "indecent acts between men" two years earlier, but public outcry from some community members had brought a committee to reinstate the clause.[5] On April 14, 2023, the Cook Islands voted to remove the clause.[7]
Temata is a former board member of Auckland Pride.[8]
Awards
- Winner - Pacific Health Volunteer Individual Awards (2018)[9]
References
- ^ a b Chumko, Andre (2020-10-01). "Cook Islands defers decision on decriminalising gay sex". Stuff. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
- ^ "Sonya Apa Temata". Auckland Pride Festival 2019. 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
- ^ a b c "Cooks Islands rainbow community lobbies for constitutional rights". RNZ. 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
- ^ "'Listen to our voices': Pasifika protest over anti-gay laws at pride march". RNZ. 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- ^ a b c "Petition calls for homosexuality to be decriminalised in Cooks". RNZ. 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
- ^ "Cook Islands | Pacific Sexual & Gender Diversity Network | Suva". PSGDN. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- ^ a b Hansford, Amelia (2023-04-17). "Cook Islands just legalised gay sex". PinkNews. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
- ^ "Cooks Islands rainbow community lobbies for constitutional rights". RNZ. 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- ^ "2018 Minister of Health Volunteer Award recipients". Ministry of Health NZ. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
External links
- PSD 2019 - Sonya Apa Temata (interview)
- Framing Cook Islands Indigenous Epistemologies (slide-deck by Temata)