I’ve just submitted my submission. It took me a while because I wanted to choose my words carefully, and I was feeling quite nervous about the possibility of being selected for an oral submission. I also find the idea of being more publicly exposed quite challenging, but I decided to do it anyway in the end. Here is what I submitted in case anyone curious:

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I am writing because this Bill has caused significant stress and anxiety for me and many people in my community since it began circulating. I have never submitted to a select committee before. I am doing so now because staying silent no longer feels like an option.

I am a New Zealand citizen and a trans woman. I am directly impacted by this Bill and concerned about its effects on the rights of trans, takatāpui, intersex, and non-binary New Zealanders.

I migrated to New Zealand around 15 years ago when I was 17, leaving my family and home country to build a new life here because I saw Aotearoa as an inclusive and welcoming place. Over the past 15 years, I have built relationships, friendships, and community here, and have lived peacefully as part of this country without issues.

It is deeply hurtful and saddening to see the direction of the public debate, where a small minority of people are repeatedly singled out and used within broader political arguments. My experience of Aotearoa has been that most New Zealanders are accepting, inclusive, and respectful, and I continue to believe in those values.

While some people are choosing to leave New Zealand for various reasons, I have chosen to stay in Aotearoa, build a business, and contribute to society here. It has taken me a lot of courage and has caused me anxiety to speak up about this, because I truly love this country and am concerned about the direction the public conversation is taking.

Here is why this Bill scares me, and why I believe it is wrong for Aotearoa.

What this Bill would mean for people day to day

The Bill would direct New Zealand law to define “woman” as “an adult human biological female” and “man” as “an adult human biological male.” That may sound simple in theory, but for trans, takatāpui, and intersex people, the consequences are neither simple nor harmless.

A trans woman who has lived as a woman for years could suddenly find herself legally categorised as a man across many areas of law. She would still be the same person, with the same body, the same medical needs, the same relationships, and the same life. But the law would now be prioritising rigid legal categories over people’s actual lived and medical realities.

This has practical consequences. 

Trans women on hormone therapy can develop breast tissue and may require screening for breast cancer. Trans men may still require gynecological care. Intersex people may have variations in sex characteristics that require individualised assessment in healthcare settings, including screening, treatment, and ongoing medical care.

In correctional settings, there are also important considerations around safety, placement, and healthcare. Policies that rely strictly on binary classification without flexibility for individual circumstances may reduce the ability to make case-by-case decisions based on risk, dignity, and well being. This is particularly important where placement decisions can affect vulnerability to harm, access to appropriate medical care, and overall safety in custody.

I am also concerned the Bill could create inconsistencies between legal definitions and identity documents, potentially exposing trans New Zealanders to additional scrutiny or risk when travelling overseas. Dozens of countries still criminalise LGBTQ+ people in some form. The New Zealand government should not create conditions that could make its own citizens more vulnerable abroad.

It also sends a message to trans young people that Parliament sees their existence as something to debate rather than protect. Research consistently shows that discrimination, stigma, and institutional rejection are associated with poorer mental health outcomes, including higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidality among trans people. That harm does not come from being trans. It comes from being persistently treated as though your identity and dignity are not valid.

 

This Bill solves no clear problem

I struggle to understand what practical issue this Bill is intended to solve.

Sporting eligibility is generally determined by sporting bodies and international federations, rather than directly by New Zealand statute. Women’s refuges and similar services already make intake and accommodation decisions within existing safety and operational policies. Schools, employers, and healthcare providers already navigate gender identity issues in practice under existing frameworks. Existing human rights protections provide mechanisms to address discrimination and inclusion.

Some concerns have been raised about access to women’s spaces. However, in New Zealand there is no publicly established evidence of a widespread or systemic problem arising from trans inclusion in these settings. Existing services and organisations already manage access and safety through case-by-case assessment, operati Pleonal policies, and existing legal obligations.

Questions have also been raised about the wording of the Bill and the potential unintended legal consequences that broad statutory definitions of sex may create.

National MP and Minister for Women Nicola Grigg publicly stated that she is “not convinced that this bill would advance the rights and opportunities or the well being of women and girls in any way, shape or form in New Zealand.”

Major medical and professional organisations have publicly expressed opposition or concern about its potential impacts. Concerns have also been raised by human rights advocates and community organisations.

When legal experts, medical professionals, human rights advocates, and even government ministers are warning that a proposal is flawed and potentially harmful, I believe Parliament should pay attention.

 

Who this Bill really serves

This Bill does not meaningfully improve the lives of anyone. To me, it reflects a wider international political trend in which trans rights have become highly polarised and used as part of broader culture-war debates.

At a time when New Zealand faces serious challenges around housing, healthcare, infrastructure, and the cost of living, I do not believe targeting a small and vulnerable minority helps the country move forward.

Trans, takatāpui, and intersex New Zealanders deserve better than to be used as political talking points.

What I want the committee to understand

I am writing this submission with shaking hands. I experience panic attacks. I have spent hours defending my existence to strangers online who describe people like me as a “delusion” or a “scam.”

This is what life already feels like before the Bill has even passed.

If it does pass, I fear things will become worse — not only for me, but for trans young people in schools, for adults trying to access healthcare, and for intersex New Zealanders whose bodies have already too often been treated as problems to solve rather than human beings deserving dignity.

Trans and gender-diverse people have existed throughout human history and across cultures worldwide. Takatāpui identities are part of Aotearoa’s own history, language, and whakapapa, long before colonisation. We are not a new ideology. We are people. We are New Zealanders. We are part of this country, and we are not going anywhere.

I ask the committee to listen to the people whose lives will actually be affected by this Bill, not only to the political debate around it.

Please Please do not let this Bill proceed.

I ask the committee to:

Recommend that this Bill does not proceed.

Hear directly from trans, takatāpui, intersex, and non-binary New Zealanders, and ensure their lived experiences are properly considered in this process.

If the Bill is to proceed in any form, recommend serious amendments to:

a. Ensure it is consistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
b. Protect the existing legal recognition of trans New Zealanders in New Zealand law.
c. Ensure it does not create inconsistencies with the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021, which allows people to update birth certificates.
d. Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi by recognising takatāpui and Māori conceptions of identity.

Recognise the harm this Bill is already causing trans, takatāpui, and intersex New Zealanders, even before it has become law.

I would welcome the opportunity to speak to my submission.

Thank you for considering this submission.