> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://goodoil.news/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# RNZ Bans Comments on Laurel Hubbard Stories
- URL: https://goodoil.news/rnz-bans-comments-on-laurel-hubbard-stories/
- Published: 2021-05-25T01:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2021-05-25T09:50:28.000Z
- Author: Guest Post
- Tags: Censorship, Featured, Free Speech, Media, NZ, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-17 01:54

**Dr David Cumin**  
Spokesperson  
[Free Speech Union](https://www.freespeechcoalition.nz/?e=7fadc673a72ea2b83503324cde301771&utm%5Fsource=freespeech&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=210521%5Ffsu%5Froundup&n=5)

---

Transgender weightlifter **Laurel Hubbard**, 43, is set to make history as the Olympic Games’ first transgender Olympian.

But our national broadcaster, *Radio New Zealand*, has banned people from commenting on articles that discuss Hubbard’s participation on the broadcaster’s Facebook page. This move was also made by the *New Zealand Herald*, who said “Transphobia will not be tolerated on this page.”

On Twitter, *RNZ* was no better – hiding (or reporting) comments that were in opposition to the transgender athlete being allowed to compete against born women.

> For a state broadcaster to be censoring comments on an article they have published because they fear what people may say about it is absurd and frankly scary.

RNZ hash-tagged their post with “#LISTEN”, but will they listen to the people of New Zealand who view Hubbard’s participation as unfair to natural-born women, but have nothing against transgender people identifying as the gender they wish?

We’ve filed a request under the Official Information Act seeking RNZ’s policy on this matter and their reasons for banning debate. After all, RNZ’s tag line is ‘news not views’ – let’s hold them to it.

**Please share so others can discover *The BFD.***