The Len Reynolds Trust has lodged a formal submission opposing the proposed overhaul of Aotearoa’s Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) guidelines, warning that the new draft risks failing the very young people it is meant to protect.
The Trust, which serves tamariki and rangatahi across the wider Waikato region, says the proposed removal or dilution of content related to gender diversity, sexuality, and takatāpui identities amounts to cultural erasure and systemic neglect.
“This is about whether we’re willing to affirm the dignity and identity of every young person in Aotearoa,” said Melissa Gibson, CEO of the Len Reynolds Trust. “Removing guidance around trans, non-binary, intersex, and Indigenous rainbow identities sends a message that some lives are less worthy of protection, visibility, or belonging.”
The Trust has called on the Ministry of Education to:
Reinstate the inclusive and affirming guidance found in the 2020 RSE Guidelines
Ensure explicit representation of rainbow Māori youth, including takatāpui and MVPFAFF+ identities
Embed a Te Ao Māori lens across the curriculum, informed by kaupapa Māori research
Engage tangata whenua and rainbow youth-led organisations in the co-design of RSE resources
The submission argues that the exclusion of diverse identities directly violates Te Tiriti o Waitangi and undermines efforts to uphold human rights in education. It points to the original 2020 guidelines as a proven, age-appropriate, and inclusive model for fostering safety, consent, and respect.
“We cannot support a framework that fails to affirm all young people,” Gibson says. “True wellbeing means being seen—fully, safely, and without exception.”
In line with its mission to champion disruptive change and social equity, the Len Reynolds Trust is urging other philanthropic, education, and community partners to speak up and stand alongside takatāpui and rainbow youth.
This is not the time to step back. This is the time to stand up.