Green MP Benjamin Doyle has broken his silence as he fronted in front of the media at Parliament  for the first time since coming under intense scrutiny for his social media history.

He admitted to being “politically naive” in Parliament’s Rainbow Room Wednesday afternoon, though did not resile from going against party advice to delete his social media post history when he became a political candidate.

It was Doyle’s first public appearance since NZ First leader Winston Peters last week drew attention to “language and innuendo” on Doyle’s private Instagram account titled “Biblebeltbussy”.

Peters claim was followed up by the Daily Examiner and was one of the first in the New Zealand media to draw attention to the issue.

The word “bussy” is a slang word used by some members of the rainbow community, commonly understood to mean a male anus.

Screenshots circulating online showed Doyle also used the phrase “bussy galore” to caption a slideshow of photos, one of which included their child.

The post was dated October 2023, about a year before Doyle entered Parliament, replacing former MP Darleen Tana.

The Greens last week said Doyle had been subject to an “immense” wave of death threats after an online campaign being pushed by “far-right conspiratorial actors”.

Parliamentary Services has been working with the MP and party around the received threats, escalating them to police where necessary.

‘I refuse to be disappeared by hate’

Doyle began his comments by saying he knew he would face prejudice and homophobia at Parliament.

“I knew that people would not like the way I dress, or speak, or the causes that I advocate for. I knew that I would be under scrutiny, as is appropriate for every single person that has the privilege of this position.

“But I could never imagine or prepare myself to be attacked in such a baseless, personal, and violent way. That my life and that of my child would be threatened.”

Doyle said “poisonous transphobic hate and imported culture wars” had been levelled at him and his community by both extremists online and political leaders.

He confirmed he was advised by the Green Party to delete his private page and chose not too.

“I am here to bring my full self into Parliament and to represent my communities in the most authentic way possible. This is why when I was advised by the party to delete the page before coming to Parliament, I chose not to.

“I can admit that I was politically naive, and we have paid a huge price for this naivety.”

He said this decision didn’t mean he deserved the “barrage of abuse and vitriol” he had experienced.

“I have been fielding a significant number of threats to my life and the safety of my child and family, some of which have been so graphic and disturbing that I had been advised not to leave my house, or appear in public, due to real concerns for my security.

“These attacks I’ve faced have been baseless and cruel. Queer people are not a danger to children. This is an outdated and homophobic lie. I have been targeted due to both my identity as a queer and non-binary parent and my public platform as an outspoken member of Parliament.”

Doyle said images of their child, posted on their private Instagram account, had been taken without permission, removed from their original context, and shared online in “misleading and manipulative ways”.

“Context is key and something that has been deliberately ignored and twisted by some incredibly bad faith actors looking for an excuse to punch down on someone who represents something they don’t agree with.

“The post at the centre of these baseless attacks includes ten images from a range of activities and moments in my life, with a pop culture pun in the caption. ‘Bussy galore’ is an in-joke and a nickname. The translation here is “me at large living my best life”.”

Doyle said referring to himself this way was an expression of his queer identity, acting as “a persona”, much like a drag performer or comedian might use.

“The caption – which references me – is an example of the way marginalised communities often reclaim or subvert language in order to exist unapologetically.

“I recognise that Bussy is not a term all rainbow people use or like, but it is one that is commonly understood and appreciated by my friends and community.

“For me, this term is wordplay, and represents the combination of my masculine and feminine qualities as a non-binary person – someone whose gender doesn’t fit into a strict category.

“It’s also a satirical in-joke with referencing pop music, drag culture, Bond novels and 1960s cinema, made about myself with people who know me in mind.

“The vast majority of New Zealanders will not tolerate violent and malicious rhetoric in our country. They will not accept toxic conspiracies which attempt to bully and threaten queer people out of public life.

“I refuse to be disappeared by hate. We have a choice, as members of Parliament, to reject this imported culture war of hate and division. We can and must do better than this, because that is what the people of Aotearoa deserve.”

Peters responded to Doyle’s comments on social media website X, labelling it as a “flimsy excuse of victim hood”.

Peters asked why the Greens told Doyle to take down their post when they were a candidate, but then defended the posts last week.

He said there was a lack of accountability and accused the party of hiding behind the “rainbow community” as an excuse.