Soldiers, politicians, Olympians, doctors, musicians, academics, businesspeople, farmers, writers and faafafine ... the thirty LGBTQIA+ New Zealanders in this book are remarkable individuals. They each speak with candour and honesty about their challenges and successes, and together they show how LGBTQIA+ people strengthen the rich culture of Aotearoa. From the famous Grant Robertson, Gareth Farr, Chlöe Swarbrick to the less well known, these stories encourage empathy and understanding, challenge stereotypes, and offer courage and hope.
Matt McEvoy completed a Bachelor of Music degree between Auckland and Otago Universities. Later, a holiday job at an Auckland tech company turned into 10 years of working in communications technology around Europe and finally Qatar, where he joined a small team creating the first outpost of Vodafone in the Middle East. Returning to Auckland, Matt now spreads his time between teaching piano, managing property interests, accepting the occasional local technology contract and writing, with a particular interest in social history and the diverse stories of extraordinary people who are seldom given a voice in New Zealand culture. His first book, The Grey Lynn Book, was published in 2018.
