IDENTITY, UNDERSTANDING AND CELEBRATION THROUGH THE STORIES OF 30 REMARKABLE NEW ZEALANDERS 30 Queer Lives explores the lives, struggles and successes of LGBTQIA+ New Zealanders. The author, Matt McEvoy, notes that as a young gay Kiwi kid growing up, books about All Blacks and Sir Edmund Hillary were ubiquitous, while stories about other New Zealanders struggled for a place in school libraries and bookshops. 'The singular elevation of the sports-hero genre made us feel that perhaps we weren't “real New Zealanders”. 'To this day, there still has not been a book to celebrate queer expression and contribution to New Zealand life, and show how LGBTQIA+ people strengthen our rich culture.' This book, bold and bright as the rainbow community itself, fills that gap. It explores the lives of queer people across New Zealand society, from north to south and from soldiers, celebrities, lawyers, drag queens, businesspeople and Olympians to farmers and fa`afafine. From the famous - Grant Robertson, Gareth Farr, Chlöe Swarbrick - to the less well known, these 30 stories encourage empathy and understanding, challenge stereotypes, and offer courage and hope. '30 Queer Lives is a wonderfully encouraging book that I'm sure many of us wish we had when we were young, and it is the perfect gift for young allies, the recently out, family and anyone else just seeking to understand.' - NZ Listener