Robin Duff

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robin Duff (1947 – 16 February 2015) was a New Zealand teacher, education leader and gay rights activist. He was the first openly gay secondary school teacher and parliamentary candidate in New Zealand.

Biography[edit]

Born and raised in Hastings, Duff was educated at Hastings Boys' High School.[1] He then studied at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, and became a secondary school teacher.[2] He began teaching at Burnside High School in 1973 and was New Zealand's first openly gay secondary school teacher.[2] His pupils included future prime minister John Key and media commentator Russell Brown.[2]

While at university, Duff became involved in gay activism, forming the University of Canterbury Gay Activists Society with Lindsay Taylor,[3] and helping to launch Gay Liberation Christchurch, both in 1972.[2] He also joined the Values Party and stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for Christchurch Central at the 1975 and 1978 general elections, becoming the first openly gay parliamentary candidate in New Zealand.[3][4][5]

Duff was also active in the Post Primary Teachers' Association, serving as its junior vice-president between 2005 and 2007, president from 2007 to 2009 and 2011 to 2013, and senior vice-president between 2009 and 2011 and from 2013 until his death in Christchurch in 2015.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Robin Duff profile". PrideNZ. 7 April 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d O'Callaghan, Jody (16 February 2015). "Robin Duff has died". The Press. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  3. ^ a b "A chronicle of homosexuality in New Zealand – part 2". Queer History New Zealand. 11 July 2002. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Global Green Party history chronology – 1975". Global Greens. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  5. ^ "History of the Green Party". Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Sad farewell to PPTA activist Robin Duff". Scoop Independent News. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robin_Duff&oldid=1217372600"