Gay pride and prejudice in the Pacific

Abstract

Industrial relations research has traditionally been captured by a heteronormative paradigm, and little research generally has been focussed on employment issues in the Pacific. Employment rights and protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex persons in the Pacific is important for numerous reasons, not the least on basic moral and decency grounds and also for the role that employment takes in enabling a quality of life and in developing economies. This article only looks at the issues facing, lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (LGB), and excluded those defined by gender identity. The legal status of homosexuality across 22 Pacific nations is identified as well as the existence of anti-discrimination laws that would protect LGB workers in the workplace. This information is then contrasted with country membership of the International Labour Organisation as an agency that may provide support or bring pressure to improve the workday life of LGB employees in these countries. This is an important area for research as the employment experience of all workers contributes to the overall wellbeing of both the individual and business, and ultimately society.

Keywords:

• sexual orientation
• anti discrimination laws
• Pacific
• homosexuality

Notes

1. For the purposes of this article, Pacific refers to the mostly southern Pacific Ocean and includes Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tokelau, French Polynesia, Niue, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Tuvalu, Palau, and Wallis and Futuna.

2. Blackbirding was the kidnapping of men and boys to work in the Queensland sugar industry.

3. Melanesia includes Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea.

4. Polynesia covers the area from Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. This includes Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna and New Zealand.

5. For example, fa’afafine in Samoa, fakaleiti of fakafefine in Tonga, mahu in Hawaii and Tahiti, and vakasalewalewa in Fiji.

6. Rainbow Community is an alternative name for LGBTI.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Julie Douglas

Julie Douglas is a senior lecturer in the Department of Management at the Auckland University of Technology. She teaches in the area of employment relations and is currently researching issues on the Living Wage, aged care workers and the union movement’s response to climate change.