This isn't something I've ever felt concerned enough to do previously, but there's a ludicrous proposal going in front of the NZ parliament soon and it has me even more riled up than that time about forty years ago when my lecturer introduced the class to Searle's ridiculous ad-absurdum known as the "Chinese Room".
I'm a lot more relaxed about life nowadays so a mental exercise would never get me off the couch and writing an essay, but this proposal from New Zealand's oldest and most out-of-touch politician riles me even more than the current government's misguided doubling-down on fossil fuels at a time when the country should be going 'ell for leather in the other direction.
Some excellent advice on writing a submission can be found at https://qtopia.org.nz/news/submission-guide-legislation-definition-of-woman-amp-man-amendment-bill and you have until the 2nd of July 2026 to do so.
I went into Wellington to join a couple of thousand other people in a march against the poorly conceived, very poorly written and generally ludicrous and unnecessary "legislation definition of woman and man amendment" bill currently before parliament and I saw when I get home that Winnie Pooh-pooh's the participation of the people in attendance on the march as being some kind of "rented protestors". Nothing could be further from the truth. I was there of my own free will, and as far as I could tell so were all of the many, many others around me.
It was in 1992 that I first knowingly worked with a trans woman. My boss at the time was a petite Geordie who farmed bulls in the Wairarapa in her spare time. There was much consternation as her appearance and clothing changed - but underneath all of it was the same careful, capable manager we had all come to know. The same person, just more openly herself. I learned a lot from Johanna and that time in the Public Service which she led me through has helped me repeatedly as I graduated to build my own companies in Wellington and more recenly during my time working in Ireland at Google and other multinationals.
Living in Dublin in 2017, an Argentinian friend took a similar path. With my earlier experience this seemed entirely straightforward: Tina was the same competent programmer before and after her transition, only a good deal more relaxed.
When my own daughters came out as trans in 2019 it was not a surprise to us. What did change was that the anxiety and distress they had been carrying through their teenage years eased substantially when they could present their authentic selves to the world. It is still a hard road they walk, but they are happier on it, and that is not a small thing.
These are not people who harm anyone. They are not a drain on the State, except to the extent that they are made one by being hounded and disbelieved. The practical effect of this Bill falls almost entirely on a small group of New Zealanders who have done nothing to deserve it - and where it does real harm, those people will indeed be harmed by this dehumanisation and denial of their rights.
People should be treated with kindness, and as people. New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the vote; we have a habit of leading on the recognition of diversity and equality. This Bill points us the other way, for no good end.
I've sent in my submission now. I do hope you will consider doing the same.