Caeden Tipler
Profile
Caeden is a second year law student who describes themself as “passionate about building a more democratic society”. As well as full-time study, they are active in campus journalism, co-lead the Young Greens, and are instrumental in the movement to lower the voting age in Aotearoa.
As Co-Director of the Make it 16 Campaign, Caeden galvanised impressive support for the petition to the Aotearoa New Zealand Parliament, and led the campaign strategy ultimately resulting in a historic win at the Supreme Court. Caeden is also host of a human rights focused, current affairs show on campus radio 95bFM and is news editor of student magazine Debate.
A human rights, LGBTQI+ and environmental advocate since high school, Caeden has activism baked into their DNA.
Insight
As the media face and voice of the high profile Make it 16 campaign, Caeden impressed politicians and the general public with their youthful confidence and articulate manner. But while Caeden’s persuasive arguments for lowering the voting age were impressing some people, their identity as non-binary became a lightning rod for negativity and abuse on social media.
Caeden’s ability to draw strength from the success of the Make it 16 campaign and not become victimised by the bullying, provides the backdrop for their powerful and personal vision for a future of gender equality. A chosen gender identity or a choice to be genderless is simply that – the exercise of free choice. For Caeden, the ultimate success of gender equality will be its irrelevance.
Te Reo Glossary
Te Reo Glossary
ākonga
student, pupil
alofa
love, affection (Cook Islands Māori language)
Aotearoa
New Zealand
aroha
love, affection
haere rā
goodbye, farewell
hapū
subtribe, part of a kinship group
ira tangata
term used for intersex in a Māori context
irawhiti
term used for transgender in a Māori context
Itāria
Italy
iwi
extended kinship group descended from a common ancestor and associated with a distinct territory in Aotearoa
kairangahau
researcher
kaitiaki
guardian
kaitiakitanga
guardianship, stewardship
kia kaha ngā wāhine toa
be strong woman warriors
kia ora
hello, greetings
kia orana
hello, greetings (Cook Islands Māori language)
kōrero
conversation, discussion
kuia
female elder
mahi
work
māmā
mother, mum
mana
status, prestige, authority,
Māngere
a major suburb in South Auckland, New Zealand
Māori
Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand
mauri
life force, life principle
moana
ocean, sea
Ōtautahi
Christchurch, city in South Island, New Zealand
Ōtepoti
Dunedin, city in South Island, New Zealand
pākeha
New Zealander of European/foreign descent
peka
branch (of a tree, river, organisation)
Pōneke
Wellington, Capital of New Zealand
rangatahi
youth, young people
takatāpui
queer, gay, rainbow community
Tāmaki Makaurau
Auckland, city in North Island, New Zealand
tapu
sacred, prohibited
tautoko
to support, advocate
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata
Human Rights Commission, New Zealand
Te Kaunihera Wahine o Aotearoa
National Council of Women of New Zealand
Te Kotahitanga
Autonomous Māori Parliament from 1892 to 1902
Te Moana-Nui-ā-Kiwa
the Pacific Ocean
te reo
the Māori language
Te Ropu Wahine Maori Toko i te Ora
Māori Women’s Welfare League
Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau
Auckland Women’s Centre
tikanga
protocol, correct procedure
wāhine
woman, women
wāhine kaha
strong woman/women
waiata
song, chant
waiata taitoko
song of support usually sung after a speech
wairua
spirit, soul
whakapapa
genealogy, lineage
whānau
family, extended family group
whare
house, building