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# Face of the Day
- URL: https://goodoil.news/face-of-the-day-1030/
- Published: 2024-08-19T18:30:19.000Z
- Updated: 2024-08-19T18:30:18.000Z
- Author: Good Oil Staff
- Tags: Face of the Day, NZ Politics, Politics

> The new chief human rights commissioner, Dr Stephen Rainbow, is defending himself against accusations of transphobia and says his views about the Israel-Gaza war won’t be an issue.  
>  
> Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith appointed Rainbow as head of the Human Rights Commission on Friday. He also announced new commissioners of race relations and equal employment opportunities.  
>  
> But the Green Party and others have criticised Rainbow’s appointment, given his previous comments about a “trans agenda” and his more recent support of Israel’s war in [Gaza](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350256343/mass-graves-uncovered-two-gaza-hospitals-raided-israel?ref=goodoil.news).  
>  
> Rainbow entered politics as [a Green Party councillor on Wellington City Council in the 1980s](https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350162876/james-shaw-unsuccessful-teenage-politician-green-bridge-builder?ref=goodoil.news) and has a PhD in political science. In the 2000s, he campaigned for same sex marriage reform, worked for the rainbow-support charity OUTLine and was on the board of the NZ Aids Foundation.  
>  
> But [comments made in 2021](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/124268954/auckland-transport-investigating-managers-facebook-post-about-gay-conversion-therapy?ref=goodoil.news), urging other gay and queer Aucklanders to think twice before signing a petition to ban “[conversion therapy](https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300396629/i-experienced-gay-conversion-therapy-heres-why-it-should-be-banned?ref=goodoil.news)”, attracted criticism. He said the opposition to conversion therapy had been hijacked by “the trans agenda”.  
>  
> “Be careful...there’s some elements of the trans agenda being sneakily promoted through this campaign,” he said, in a post to the Facebook group for Auckland’s LGBT community.  
>  
> Stuff

[Read More](https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350382679/new-human-rights-chief-says-comments-trans-agenda-and-israel-gaza-war-wont-be?ref=goodoil.news)