LGBTQ+

Because of the measures taken against Covid-19, the annual Amsterdam Gay Pride events will take place online this year July 25th until August 2nd. No Canal Parade. No Pride Walk. No street parties. For the first time since 1996, the streets of Amsterdam won’t change into the colors of the rainbow. Instead, people will have to actively seek out the festivities from home. But because of this, the most important task Amsterdam Pride has, i.e., creating visibility and awareness for the rights of and equality for the LGBTQ+ Community, vanishes. To those who don’t actively seek out Gay Pride events, this important occasion will pass by unnoticed. At the same time, someone was attacked in Amsterdam just a week before the Amsterdam Gay Pride was to take off, because of their sexual orientation. Homosexuality is forbidden in 72 countries around the globe and the Dutch word for gay is the most common curse word in schools and in the military in the Netherlands. Homophobia and violence against the gay community are still present in our society. Here are thirteen poems, written by poets who identify as everything but heterosexual or cis-gender, about love, struggle, loss and their search for their own identity. Happy pride!