LGBTIQA+ charity RainbowYOUTH has partnered with HELL to encourage diversity and equality in Aotearoa. Their collaborative aim is to raise $75,000 for RainbowYOUTH by selling 3,000 limited-edition T-shirts bearing the slogan ‘The Only HELL I’m Going To’. Intended to take a stand in support of the LGBTIQA+ community, the campaign has reappropriated a highly discriminatory slur.
“The LGBTIQA+ community around the world still faces devastating persecution,” said RainbowYOUTH communications manager Toni Duder. In Aotearoa, LGBTIQA+ youth have higher rates of negative mental health outcomes than their straight and cis-gender peers. As our youth are constantly soaking in the attitudes and perspectives of society; Executive Director of RainbowYOUTH, Frances Arns, wants to ensure all the “messages they’re getting about gender and sexuality are good ones.”
Established in 1989 to create a safe, inclusive, accepting and diverse family environment, the charity RainbowYOUTH is a youth-led, youth-focused, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping improve the lives of LGBTIQA+ people up to the age of 27. RainbowYOUTH has two offices in Aotearoa and offers specialized peer support groups in Auckland, Dunedin, Kawerau, New Plymouth, Waihi, Rotorua, Tauranga and Whangarei.
HELL General Manager Ben Cumming shares values with RainbowYOUTH and are excited to back their cause. Several Kiwi celebrities – including former Black Cap Mark Greatbatch, former Black Sox captain Mark Sorenson, and Panhead founder Mike Neilson – are also proud to support the campaign are will be encouraged to post photos and videos of themselves wearing the T-shirt on social media.
Using the handle #theonlyHELLimgoingto, the aim is to inspire a social movement in Aotearoa in support of LGBTIQA+ issues – in the style of #metoo or #takeaknee.
These custom-designed T-shirts are available to buy online now via the link hellrainbowyouth.com, with all proceeds to be donated to RainbowYOUTH by HELL Pizza.
