Tolerance disappearing from Amsterdam

Tolerance disappearing from Amsterdam

In recent years Dutch attitudes have undergone a significant transformation. This week SSO examines how the gay population in The Netherlands is now faring.

Amsterdam-raised Jan Oldenziel believes the generally open and accepting Dutch society has shifted its views regarding homosexuality. Broader society is now more concerned about upsetting the status quo than being all-embracing. This societal shift is parallelled by an outbreak of homophobic attacks in the Dutch capital.

I love clubbing, but now when I leave the venue I make sure that a taxi is waiting right outside the door to pick me up, Jan said.

Jan cites two significant events that led to a more introverted Dutch society: the murder of charismatic and outspoken gay politician, Pim Fortuyn, in 2002 and the bashing of gay American journalist Chris Crain while attending the 2005 Pride celebrations.

When Pim was murdered the whole feeling of the country changed, he said.

These tragic events signalled a massive U-turn for the Netherlands. Only four years earlier in 2001, the Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. We had a very liberal government then, Jan said.

Jan believes the influx of conservative Moroccan immigrants is potentially responsible for influencing a change in the Dutch psyche. Homosexuality is not accepted in Moroccan culture, he said.

Elements of Dutch society believe it’s best not to offend the immigrants, and advocate tailoring societal attitudes to appease the Moroccans’ cultural sensibility.

Jan, on the other hand, is not prepared to accept these changes to his country’s liberal attitudes.

I want to make people aware that you shouldn’t take things for granted, Jan said. Things aren’t tolerant any more and we should make a stand about it.

The final straw for Jan was the local council’s decision last year to withdraw permission for several gay parties to be held in conjunction with the Pride celebrations, in favour of permitting four soccer matches in the city.

The council was afraid that the soccer fans and gays wouldn’t mix. This was our only day of the year, he said.

Jan, together with his partner and advertising-creative Jan Dirk Bouw and photographer Erwin Venema, founded the activist group, Tolerance United, to convince the Dutch population to again embrace diversity.

For the Pride celebrations this year Tolerance United, in cooperation with the gay organisation COC, developed a poster campaign focusing on religion. The posters depicted Jewish, Islamic and Christian parents with their children in same-sex relationships.

The message was that these religious families accept their children as gay. Religion and gay can exist together, Jan said.

Jan believes that Amsterdam has become generally too complacent with its reputation as being the gay capital of Europe.

You need to keep reinventing yourself. Otherwise you’ll be left behind, he said. Barcelona and Berlin are now rivalling Amsterdam for the title of gay capital.

It is for this reason that Tolerance United’s campaign for the 2009 Pride celebrations will focus on their own sense of community.

Next year, it should be about us. We are responsible to guarantee the freedoms of the new generation. We can no longer float on what the previous generations have achieved, Jan said.

Between 2003 and 2008, Jan has visited Australia eight times. He will never forget his first Sydney Mardi Gras.

It was so empowering. I love the parties here and the sense of community. It is so energised.

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.