• Lesbians are same sex attracted, not same gender attracted: Sex and gender are different.

  • Young lesbians are facing pressure to transition because of their gender non-conformity.

  • Lesbians want to enjoy women-only services and lesbian-only spaces as well as being included in the Rainbow Communities’ decision making.

  • N.Z.’s Human Rights Act protects lesbian rights, while the Human Rights Commission is undermining them.

Latest News

LAVA | News
Wellington sex realists met recently in Wellington to celebrate the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that the Equality Act's definition of "woman" refers to biological sex.
Wellington sex realists met recently in Wellington to celebrate the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that the Equality Act's definition of "woman" refers to biological sex.
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Margaret Curnow from LAVA was interviewed by Feminist Question Time about our case.
Margaret Curnow from LAVA was interviewed by Feminist Question Time about our case.
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Hilary Oxley from LAVA, speaking at a WDI webinar, discusses the full background to our case. (Sept. 24).
Hilary Oxley from LAVA, speaking at a WDI webinar, discusses the full background to our case. (Sept. 24).
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How a Victorian-era lesbian couple became trailblazing doctors in the 1860s
How a Victorian-era lesbian couple became trailblazing doctors in the 1860s
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April / May 2025 Case Update
April / May 2025 Case Update

So much has happened since our last update sent out just a month ago. The biggest and most exciting news is of course the decision of the UK Supreme Court which has
unanimously ruled that the meaning of “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 is “biological sex” and not “certificated sex” (sex as allegedly modified by ownership of a Gender Recognition Certificate). Scottish Government Ministers had argued that “sex” meant “certificated sex” as a default interpretation. The group 'For Women Scotland' challenged this, and won.

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Historic court ruling in UK confirms lesbians are same-sex attracted women
Historic court ruling in UK confirms lesbians are same-sex attracted women

Today the UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the terms woman and sex in the Equalities Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. 

The issue was whether trans women who have a gender recognition certificate, are women in the eyes of the law and therefore are entitled to women’s legal protections. 

For legal purposes under this ruling transwomen are not women. The terms women and sex in UK law must be interpreted as referring to biological sex.

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March 2025 Case Update
March 2025 Case Update
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February 2025 Case Update
February 2025 Case Update
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December 2024 Case Update
December 2024 Case Update
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Ka mua, ka muri - look to the past
Ka mua, ka muri - look to the past

Contrary to recent claims by Wellington Pride supporters, LAVA members have been defending our right, enshrined in the Human Rights Act 1993, to exclude men from our groups and spaces. This article is by Tighe, a LAVA founder and member, who protested with us at the Ministry for Women and Michael Fowler Centre in March 2021.

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