Eli Matthewson
Director
Queer Aotearoa: We've Always Been Here (2025)
Season 1
Join Eli Matthewson for a journey through the untold history of New Zealand's queer community, celebrating the resilience of trailblazers who pushed for an inclusive Aotearoa
Released Feb. 1, 2025
Episode 23 min
None+
Genres: Documentary
Keywords: mdblist.has-trailer, tmdb.real-life, tmdb.queer-activism, tmdb.queer, tmdb.documentary, tmdb.queer-documentary
Production Companies: Television New Zealand
Network: TVNZ+
Country: New Zealand
Languages:
English
S1E1 - Seeing is Believing: Queer Representation in Media
Join Eli Matthewson for a journey through the untold history of New Zealand's queer community, celebrating the resilience of
trailblazers who pushed for an inclusive Aotearoa.
Feb. 1, 2025, midnight
S1E2 - Fighting for Our Rights: Homosexual Law Reform
After six teens are acquitted of killing a gay man in a public park, the queer community rallies to fight for Homosexual Law Reform—sparking a fierce battle with conservative groups.
Feb. 1, 2025, midnight
S1E3 - Resilience: New Zealand's Fight Against AIDS
The first series to revisit New Zealand’s AIDS crisis and its impact on gay men. We meet Michael Stevens, diagnosed with HIV at 27 in 1988, who survived hospice stays long enough to access groundbreaking HIV treatments. The episode also honours Bruce Burnett, a pioneer in New Zealand’s fight against HIV, and Denny Marks, the first New Zealander known to die from the virus.
Feb. 1, 2025, midnight
S1E4 - Beyond the Binary: Trans Stories
Exploring New Zealand’s trans history on mainstream TV for the first time, this episode introduces figures like Peter Alexander, a trans man who fled Palmerston North due to public scrutiny, and Carmen Rupe, a pioneering trans icon who paved the way for Georgina Beyer to become the world’s first trans member of parliament.
Feb. 1, 2025, midnight
S1E5 - Love Thy Neighbour: The Church and the Rainbow Community
Notorious Christian speaker Sy Rogers once preached 'healing' from homosexuality, an experience host Eli Matthewson personally witnessed. We hear from Joan Bellingham, a nurse subjected to 12 years of electroconvulsive therapy due to her sexuality, and from former pastor Andre Afamasaga, who later became a leading critic of conversion practices after attempting to ‘fix’ his own sexuality.
WARNING: Contains references to suicide.
Feb. 1, 2025, midnight
S1E6 - Thank You For Your Service...But Not Your Identity: Queer in the Public Sector
During WWII, Kiwi female impersonators played a vital role in maintaining morale. Yet, post-war, the Defence Force and Police classified homosexuality and trans identity as psychiatric disorders, with severe consequences for those serving. We also discuss the 2018 Auckland Pride Parade’s controversial ban on uniformed officers and its impact on takatāpui police officers working to foster understanding within the force
Feb. 1, 2025, midnight
Network: TVNZ+
Episode Runtime: 23 min.
Season Runtime: 138 min.
Released: Feb. 1, 2025
Last Air Date: Feb. 1, 2025, midnight
Status: Returning Series
Certification: NR
Rate this show
Add {Movie} to static lists