Big Gay Out Explained

Big Gay Out
Status:	Active
Genre:	Festivals
Frequency:	Annually
Location:	Coyle Park
Country:	New Zealand
Years Active:	2000 - Present
Founder Name:	Hero Festival Big Gay Out
Last:	12 March 2023
Attendance:	10,000 - 15,000
Organised:	Hero Festival (2000 - 2002) Burnett Foundation Aotearoa (2003 - Present)
Sponsor:	Durex
Website:	https://www.biggayout.co.nz/

Big Gay Out is an LGBTQ festival in New Zealand. It has been running in Auckland since 2000. The event was founded by the Hero Festival, but is now organised by the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa.^[1]

During the event, Mr Gay New Zealand is chosen.^[2]

History

The Big Gay Out was initiated by organisers of the Hero Festival, and was a play on words mimicking the music festival; Big Day Out. The event is always held at Coyle Park, in Point Chevalier. Organisers of the event stated that its location was intended to get back at former mayor Les Mills, who resided nearby and had a history of opposing pride events.

In 2003, leadership of the event passed from the Hero Festival to the NZ AIDS Foundation (now known as the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa). Since the changeover, the event has been used to promote HIV awareness and STI testing.

Several hundred people were in attendance at the first Big Gay Out in 2000. This figure has since increased to between 12,000-15,000 attendees.^[3]

Political influence

The Big Gay Out has always attracted political attention, with protests being common in the early years from fundamentalist Christian groups.

In 2004, whilst the New Zealand Government were considering introducing the Civil Unions Act, the Big Gay Out hosted a commitment ceremony where six gay couples exchanged rings. Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard attended the Big Gay Out in 2005 and apologised for his past criticism of the civil union reforms.

In 2016, Prime Minister John Key made his annual appearance at the Big Gay Out, but was booed off stage by anti-Trans Pacific Partnership protesters. Despite the group of roughly 30 protesters, John Key received positive feedback for his attendance at the festival.^[4]

In 2024, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was protested at the event by trans rights activists and pro-Palestine activists.^[5]

Postponements and cancellations

The 2018 Big Gay Out (scheduled for 11 February 2018) was cancelled due to severe weather conditions. This was the first cancellation in the history of the event.^[6]

Part-way through the Big Gay Out 2021, it was announced that three cases of COVID-19 had emerged in South Auckland.^[7] Mayor Phil Goff learned of the outbreak on his way to the event, but was advised that the event could continue.^[8] The following day, Auckland went into a three day lockdown.^[9]

On 19 January 2022, it was announced that for the second time in Big Gay Out history, the event would be cancelled. This was due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.^[10]

The Big Gay Out 2023 was postponed until 12 March due to flooding damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.^[11]

Headlining Acts and Attendance

Year	Dates	Attendance	Headliners	Additional Notes
2000	February 2000^[12]	"a couple of hundred"	The Outrageous Miss Ribena
2001	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
2002	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
2003	16 February 2003^[13]	8,000 - 10,000	Unknown
2004	8 February 2004^[14]	10,000	Unknown
2005	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
2006	13 February 2006^[15]	Unknown	Miss K Miss Buckwheat Mahinārangi Tocker The Morrisons^[16]
2007	11 February 2007^[17]	12,000	Boyband Mahinārangi Tocker Kneel Halt Buffy and Bimbo^[18]
2008	10 February 2008^[19]	6,000 - 7,000	Miss Buckwheat Cindy of Samoa Pulse^[20]	Low attendance attributed to poor weather.
2009	8 February 2009^[21]	10,000^[22]	Razor Queenie Cindy Of Samoa
2010	14 February 2010^[23]	12,000	Sarah Lambourne (Flirt) Opening Karakia NZ Quilt Project Tess Tickle Dykes on Bikes The Aroha Festival Launch! Get it on	with your significant others Kids & Dogs Ramon Steven Oates Finale Restaurant & Cabaret Urzila Carlson Beaver Brown Larry - 'Signing' Singer Jock Swap & Underwear models Caluzzi Bar & Cabaret Sheba Withers Tug of War Brittany Manu Dolls LA Thompson & Christ Barclay Cindy of Samoa Olaf & Keishia - 'U Want Me' Razor Will C Barling & sexy DJ Stevolicious Annie Crummer^[24]
2011	13 February 2011	10,000	Anika Moa
2012	12 February 2012^[25]	14,000	Zowie Te Roopu Kapahaka o Hokianga Lorraine Butler Sheree Waitoa Finale Cabaret Pearls of Meganesianz Ngaire & Noreen Caluzzi Girls Kamp David D’mynority DNA Spectacular Titch Marvel & the Paparazzi Dolls Razor Manthyng Petra and her Poi Mob
2013	10 February 2013^[26]	15,000	Kids of 88 Brooke Duff Maree Sheehan^[27]
2014	9 February 2014^[28]	15,000	African Rhumba & Kwasa Kwasa Ale Abud Held Sonic Delusion Mika X & The Aroha Project Willie & Raymond Sharvelle Charlotte Charlotte Yates Diamonds of Paradise Fine Fatale Kittens of the Internet L.O.V.E Family Bar Dragalicious Lavina Williams Legend Bar Showcase LACE Buckwheat & Tess Tickle Urzila Carlson Caluzzi Girls Good Short Cindy of Samoa^[29]
2015	8 February 2015^[30]	12,000 - 15,000	Lavina Williams Emily Williams J. Williams Brooke Duff Pieter T K.One	As part of the 'Love Your Condom' initiative, 20,000 condoms were distributed to the attendees and 209 people were tested for HIV.
2016	14 February 2016^[31]	10,000	Ahakoa Te Aha Anita Wigl'it and Kita Mean Rowan and Travis Drag King Performance TAPAC - Night of the Queer Alex Farell-Davey Mr Gay NZ Contestants - Question Time Emily Kopp (USA) Ashley Tonga Vallkyrie Family Bar Showcase Annie Crummer Fine Fatale Lavina Williams Luke Bird People Like Us (Musical Showcase) Samantha Jade (AUS) Cindy of Samoa^[32]
2017	12 February 2017	Unknown	Openside^[33] Cindy of Samoa Parson James Ahakoa Te Aha Jimmy Moore & Cas.D Tuhoi Henry Lavina Williams The Pop Tarts Charlotte Yates The Diamonds ANJI
2018	Cancelled	Cancelled	Cancelled	Cancelled
2019	10 February 2019^[34]	Unknown	Golfweather Openside Jon Lemmon Julia Clement LEXXA The Miltones Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra White Chapel Jak Burundian Drummers Beth Goulstone Iris G Ahakoa Te Aha
2020	9 February 2020	Unknown	Mika Haka Courtney Act Fortunes Alae Lizzie Marvelly Randa Hugo Grrrl Medulla Oblongata Kita Mean & Anita Wigl'it Trinity Ice
2021	14 February 2021	12,000 - 15,000	Chelsea Jade Possum Plows + Maude Morris Half Queen + Coven Jordan Eskra Theia Paige Lady Shaka Jazo Kirsty Sutherland Nicola Tims Marjorie Sinclair Native Bush
2022	Cancelled	Cancelled	Cancelled	Cancelled
2023	12 March 2023	Unknown	Theia Brady Peeti Hugo Grrl VÏKÆ Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra DJ ZEKI MC Manila^[35]	Postponed

Health promotion

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation's programme uses the Big Gay Out festival as an avenue to promote safe sex and develop condom culture in New Zealand. A survey administered during the 2012 Big Gay Out festival determined that those who stayed longer were more knowledgeable and positive toward condom culture and felt that the Get it on! message was an empowering one. Survey participants also said the programme "helped to educate men about safe sex" and "helped them feel good about having safe sex."^[36] In 2014, Get It On! was dropped and LYC was adopted as the main message. Love Your Condom (LYC) is New Zealand Aids Foundation's social marketing programme for gay and bisexual men. It addresses a complex mix of attitudinal, behavioural and social change amongst a community that can be difficult to define and reach. The LYC Social Marketing team talks about the programme's history, the challenges they face and what keeps them loving what they do.^[37] In 2017, New Zealand Aids Foundation dropped Love Your Condom and created a new campaign called Ending HIV. It has a goal of ending new HIV transmission in New Zealand by 2025. The campaign highlight key points including:^[38]

• Playing safe. Which means safe sex with the use of condoms and taking PrEP.^[39]
• Testing Often. Most HIV transmissions happen with people who do not know they have HIV and have unprotected sex. Testing often will diagnose people with HIV and get them onto treatment which will help stop spreading HIV.^[40]
• Treat Early. Treating early not only protects personal health, but it also reduces the chance of transmitting HIV to another person.^[41]
• Ending HIV Stigma. Stigma refers to prejudice and discrimination towards people living with HIV, their friends, partners and whānau. Even though HIV stigma was at its peak during the early days of the AIDS epidemic, many people living with HIV still experience prejudice on a daily basis.^[42]

External links

• Big Gay Out official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Earley . Melanie . 2023-03-11 . Glitter bombs, joy and politics: The history of Auckland's Big Gay Out . 2023-12-13 . Stuff . en.
2. Web site: Big Gay Out 2023 . 2023-12-13 . Concrete Playground . en-US.
3. Web site: Another Record Crowd for LYC Big Gay Out . 2023-12-13 . www.burnettfoundation.org.nz . en.
4. News: 2016-02-14 . John Key booed off stage at Big Gay Out . en-NZ . New Zealand Herald . live . 2016-03-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160601052730/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11589495 . 1 June 2016 . 1170-0777.
5. Web site: Christopher Luxon leaves Big Gay Out after heated protest . 18 February 2024 . RNZ.
6. News: 2018-02-11 . Big Gay Out cancelled due to weather . en-NZ . Newshub . live . 2019-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190218021244/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/02/big-gay-out-cancelled-due-to-weather.html . 18 February 2019.
7. News: 2021-02-14 . Big Gay Out: The celebration continues despite Covid community scare . en-NZ . NZ Herald . live . 2021-02-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210215110856/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/big-gay-out-the-celebration-continues-despite-covid-community-scare/V2P4M3XQH4UO263BJA4IFA5BM4/ . 15 February 2021.
8. Web site: 2021-02-15 . Goff followed official advice in keeping Auckland events going . 2023-12-13 . RNZ . en-nz.
9. Web site: 2021-02-14 . New Zealand Covid outbreak: Ardern puts Auckland into three-day lockdown . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210218153011/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/14/new-zealand-covid-outbreak-race-to-trace-three-local-cases-in-auckland . 18 February 2021 . 2021-02-19 . the Guardian . en.
10. Web site: 2021-01-19 . Covid-19: Big Gay Out 2022 organisers cancel event citing fears over Omicron . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120040119/https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/300499018/covid19-big-gay-out-2022-organisers-cancel-event-citing-fears-over-omicron . 20 January 2022 . 2022-01-20 . Stuff NZ . en.
11. Web site: 2023-02-08 . Big Gay Out postponed until March due to flood damage . 2023-12-13 . RNZ . en-nz.
12. Web site: February Hero Parade In Auckland Is Not Possible . 2023-12-13 . www.scoop.co.nz.
13. Web site: Ansell BGO pulls bigger than expected crowd . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015759/http://www.pridenz.com/gaynz/1817.html . 19 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
14. Web site: BGO: Politicians, police and happy faces . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015743/http://www.pridenz.com/gaynz/2214.html . 19 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
15. Web site: Big Gay Out: Politics and poofs mix bigtime . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015727/http://www.pridenz.com/gaynz/1118.html . 19 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
16. Web site: Big Gay Out - it's a "family" day . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015802/http://www.pridenz.com/gaynz/3307.html . 19 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
17. Web site: 12,000 attend Big Gay Out (+ VIDEO) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015725/http://www.pridenz.com/gaynz/4071.html . 19 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
18. Web site: Big Gay Out 2007: Live reports from NZ's biggest glbt event . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015819/http://www.pridenz.com/gaynz/1583.html . 19 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
19. Web site: Big Gay Out defied weather to draw crowds . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080417115142/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_5566.php . 2008-04-17 . 2019-02-18.
20. Web site: The Eighth Annual "Big Gay Out" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190218202021/http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0801/S00063.htm . 18 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
21. Web site: Big Gay Out 2009 . live . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Yp8bRC0cRkM . 2021-12-21 . 2019-02-18 . YouTube.
22. Web site: 10,000 crowd makes BGO "huge success" . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090417230015/http://gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_7068.php . 2009-04-17 . 2019-02-18.
23. Web site: 12,000 picnicked and partied at Big Gay Out . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100216125847/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_8503.php . 2010-02-16 . 2019-02-19 . www.gaynz.com.
24. Web site: GayNZ.com Big Gay Out's main stage line-up revealed . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160428154410/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_8443.php . 2016-04-28 . 2016-03-17 . www.gaynz.com.
25. Web site: Big Gay Out declared another success . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130210001546/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_11403.php . 2013-02-10 . 2019-02-19.
26. Web site: Big Gay Out 2013 hit new crowd record . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130222110710/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_12902.php . 2013-02-22 . 2019-02-18.
27. Web site: Colour Bomb To Go Off At Get It On! Big Gay Out . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190218202016/http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1302/S00233/colour-bomb-to-go-off-at-get-it-on-big-gay-out.htm . 18 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
28. Web site: Politicians, performers and fun at BGO . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140902030409/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/21/article_14574.php . 2014-09-02 . 2019-02-19 . www.gaynz.com.
29. Web site: GayNZ.com Big Gay Out line-up packed with performers . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160428154127/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_14514.php . 2016-04-28 . 2016-03-17 . www.gaynz.com.
30. Web site: Big Gay Out pulled another strong crowd . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015820/http://www.pridenz.com/gaynz/16421.html . 19 February 2019 . 2019-02-18.
31. News: BGO reports: Knockout performances, food and rainbow everything . en-NZ . dead . 2019-02-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160322001754/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/21/article_17923.php . 2016-03-22.
32. Web site: Main Stage Line Up The LYC Big Gay Out Festival . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160508200455/http://www.loveyourcondom.co.nz/our-community/big-gay-out/durex-main-stage-line-up . 8 May 2016 . 2016-03-17 . www.loveyourcondom.co.nz.
33. News: ENDING HIV BIG GAY OUT . en-NZ . live . 2019-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190218021216/https://2017.aucklandpride.org.nz/events/ending-hiv-big-gay-out/ . 18 February 2019.
34. News: The Ending HIV Big Gay Out is over for another year. A massive thank you to everyone who came along to the 20th anniversary and our biggest, GAYEST, Big Gay Out, ever! . en-NZ . live . 2019-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190217142456/https://endinghiv.org.nz/big-gay-out/bgo . 17 February 2019.
35. Web site: 2023-03-09 . Big Gay Out Returns for 2023 Edition With Theia, Brady Peeti and More on March 12 . 2023-12-13 . TFword. . en-US.
36. Toledano. Margalit. Riches. Murray. Brand alliance and event management for social causes: Evidence from New Zealand. Public Relations Review. 2014. 40. 5. 807–814. 10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.09.001. 21 April 2016. 7 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220607023845/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266204524. live.
37. Web site: Inside NZAF: Love Your Condom. 2019-02-18. 19 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130135/https://www.nzaf.org.nz/news-and-media/news/inside-nzaf-lyc/. live.
38. Web site: NZAF's new campaign 'Ending HIV' aims to eliminate new HIV infections by 2025. 2019-02-18. 19 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130152/https://www.nzaf.org.nz/news-and-media/news/nzafs-new-campaign-ending-hiv-aims-to-eliminate-new-hiv-infections-by-2025/. dead.
39. Web site: Whats Safe Sex. 2019-02-18. 19 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130247/https://endinghiv.org.nz/stay-safe/whats-safe-sex. live.
40. Web site: All About Testing. 2019-02-18. 19 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130142/https://endinghiv.org.nz/testing/all-about-testing. live.
41. Web site: Treating Basic. 2019-02-18. 19 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130232/https://endinghiv.org.nz/treating/treatment-basics. dead.
42. Web site: We Can End HIV. 2019-02-18. 19 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130158/https://endinghiv.org.nz/ending-hiv/we-can-end-hiv. live.