{"id":334,"date":"2025-12-16T14:05:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T14:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/olive-mouse-343262.hostingersite.com\/?page_id=334"},"modified":"2026-05-20T15:58:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T15:58:42","slug":"logo-design-for-gender-minorities-aotearoa-transgender-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jenbell.design\/en\/logo-design-for-gender-minorities-aotearoa-transgender-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"Logo design for Gender Minorities Aotearoa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

Logo design for Gender Minorities Aotearoa<\/h1>\n\n\n

Gender Minorities Aotearoa<\/strong><\/a> (GMA) is New Zealand\u2019s leading transgender organisation. It is run by and for transgender people; including binary and non-binary, irawhiti takat\u0101pui, and intersex trans people.

GMA’s vision is for all transgender people, including binary, non-binary, intersex, and irawhiti takat\u0101pui people, to be empowered by a full range of choices across all aspects of their lives, and to be able to participate fully in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Exploratory sketches including experiments combining M\u0101ori design elements with the transgender symbol, and the letters GMA depicted as friendly tuna (eels). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

THE BRIEF<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gender Minorities Aotearoa already had a placeholder logo but they were running into some issues. The existing logo based on the transgender symbol and flag was too detailed, too generic, and was often confused with other transgender organisations. GMA was ready to invest in a unique, custom-made logo that really represented them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The logo needed to reflect that GMA recognises M\u0101ori as first nations, that they serve transgender people who are structurally disadvantaged in additional ways, and that GMA services are available, accessible and of high quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As GMA has two key audiences, it was important that the logo spoke to them both: transgender adults, and health sector workers. The design needed to balance friendliness and approachability for the peer support services, with something professional and authoritative for the healthcare sector. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it would mostly be used online – for GMA’s website and online trainings, the logo would also be printed on booklets, flyers and other resources. They wanted something unique, simple, clean and classic, that represented their cultural context in Aoteroa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gender Minorities already had a strong brand in terms of colour palette – oranges for their peer support work, and blues for their healthcare advocacy, and they wanted to stick with this going forward. They also had existing fonts which they wanted to continue using. So this brief was about creating a logo that fit all the requirements and also worked with the existing colours and typography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Initial concept designs featuring from left to right: 1. a korimako (bellbird), 2. a p\u016briri moth, 3. a mangopare symbol<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

THE PROCESS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A key consideration was that the logo contain M\u0101ori design elements. GMA was already using some patterns and illustrations designed by M\u0101ori artists. These were too detailed to form part of the logo, but they provided a useful jumping-off point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our initial discussions a lot of different ideas for symbols were shared, from a story about a ‘trans’ korimako<\/a>, to the p\u016briri moth, and the leaf of the kawakawa plant. To build on my existing understanding of M\u0101ori design traditions, I undertook in-depth research. At this point I also checked in with the client, to confirm that they did not want to work with a M\u0101ori designer instead of me (a white New Zealander). They affirmed that they specifically did want to work with me, and we decided to work in a very collaborative way on the design, with leadership from the M\u0101ori members of GMA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We explored a large number of different concept designs, before deciding to move forward with a design that combined M\u0101ori imagery with the transgender symbol designed in the 1990s by Holly Boswell, Wendy Parker, and Nancy R. Nangeroni. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided on a mang\u014dpare (hammerhead shark) design, representing courage, strength and power, combined with koiri designs, which represent self-nurturing, flourishing and self-reflection \u2014 all of which felt very appropriate for both the work that Gender Minorities Aotearoa does, and the trans people who make use of GMA’s services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The end result included an orange version of the logo for the peer support services, a blue version for the healthcare sphere, and a black and white watermark version. Multiple layouts were also provided, to ensure flexibility for various use-cases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A page from the brand guidelines document I created for Gender Minorities Aotearoa, showing two versions of the final logo. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

CLIENT FEEDBACK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s great! We’re having only joy with it so far!\u201d 
\u2014 Ahi Wi-Hongi, Executive Director, Gender Minorities Aotearoa<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The final logo in the two requested colourways: blue for resources directed at healthcare professionals, and orange for peer support services for transgender people <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gender Minorities Aotearoa (GMA) is New Zealand\u2019s leading transgender organisation. It is run by and for transgender people; including binary and non-binary, irawhiti takat\u0101pui, and intersex trans people. GMA’s vision is for all transgender people, including binary, non-binary, intersex, and irawhiti takat\u0101pui people, to be empowered by a full range of choices across all aspects […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"work-sample","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-334","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nLogo design for Gender Minorities Aotearoa - jenbell.design<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jenbell.design\/en\/logo-design-for-gender-minorities-aotearoa-transgender-new-zealand\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Logo design for Gender Minorities Aotearoa - jenbell.design\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gender Minorities Aotearoa (GMA) is New Zealand\u2019s leading transgender organisation. 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