Mike Bain/cvnznews.com
Auckland’s St Matthew‑in‑the‑City has stepped into the national debate over the Government’s proposed “What Is a Woman?” Bill—this time with a billboard declaring, “We don’t care what’s in your pants… and neither should our government.”
The sign, coloured in the blue, pink and white of the transgender flag, opposes New Zealand First’s Bill, which seeks to define women in law as adult human biological females and men as adult human biological males. Supporters of the Bill argue it is a necessary safeguard to keep biological males out of women’s bathrooms, changing rooms, and other spaces designed for the safety and dignity of women and girls.
More than 10,000 people marched across five cities during the weekend in protest against the legislation. But for many New Zealanders—especially parents—the Bill is not about discrimination; it is about clarity, boundaries, and the protection of vulnerable spaces.
Reverend Dr Richard Bonifant of St Matthew’s says the Bill would cause “great harm” to transgender and intersex communities, who make up less than 1 percent of the population, according to Stats NZ. He argues that individuals should be free to define their own gender identity without government interference.
Yet for Christians, the question is not merely sociological or political. It is theological.
Genesis 1:27 states plainly that God created humanity “male and female.”
This is the first and foundational definition of womanhood in Scripture—long before governments, activist groups, or social media existed.
Some within the church may have forgotten that their primary mandate is not to mirror cultural trends but to represent the God who created those categories in the first place.
Bonifant says the public response to the billboard has been “overwhelmingly positive,” with thousands of likes on social media. Popular activist Shaneel Lal also amplified the message online.
Within the wider Christian community, reactions are mixed. Some clergy quietly support the billboard; others point to Scripture’s consistent teaching on sex, embodiment, and the created distinctions between men and women. Jesus welcomed all people, they note, but He never erased the categories God established in the beginning.
The church is encouraging the public to submit feedback on the Bill before 2 July.
Meanwhile, NZ First leader Winston Peters responded to the nationwide protests by saying the Bill is about “protecting women and girls’ rights, freedoms and safety.”
St Matthew’s has a history of provocative signage. Fourteen years ago, the church erected a billboard supporting same‑sex marriage, featuring a wedding cake topped with two brides. Its latest message continues that pattern—though critics argue it does so at the expense of biblical clarity and the safety of women.
