Story-telling : forgotten q***r heroes and what we can learn from them.
The LGBTQAI+ community as scapegoat
The organization of Pride Amsterdam gave me the opportunity to give two story telling shows in Parool Theater here in Amsterdam, for which I am very grateful.
The word in 2024 that defines Pride was “Together”. It was this word that motivated me to tell the story of my personal q***r heroes, gay resistance fighters in WW2, Willem Arondeus, Frieda Belinfante and Sjoerd Bakker.
Willem Arondeus famous last words were, “Let the Dutch know that homosexuals are no cowards”
After all he was the organizer of the assault of the registry office in 1943, was betrayed and was executed by the Nazi’s.
Him showing the Dutch that q***r people are brave was to no avail. The Dutch preferred to contribute this act to a heterosexual person, Gerrit van Veen, who was also part of the group but not the leader and organizer.
Brave Q***r people were just an inconvenient truth in post war homophobic Holland.
Why did Arondeus this? I firmly believe that he was led by wanting to fight injustice. Being an openly gay man in those days and feeling the consequences he could not, not fight the nazi’s. If he wanted the Dutch to look different at the LGBTQAI+ community then he had to lead. How else could he expect others to fight for us?
As mentioned to no avail but now is the time for a different narrative of history. A history that is diverse and inclusive.
That means that the community with all the letters we have these days should stand in front of each other. Because what we have in common is that society and politicians like to use the community as scapegoat for any problem for which they do not have a solution.
Society will not stand in front of the community. The Aids epidemic that hit the community is its most poignant example.
A virus (hiv/aids) that hit the community first was ignored for six years, a more recent virus (covid) made the world stop, the first
Anita Bryant and a Dutch singer
The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam was always a beacon of decorum. High on the walls the names of all the classic composers, whose music has been conducted in the past hundred years that the Concertgebouw existed.
Where classic music loving Amsterdam, the cultural and economic elite of the city would meet to feel slightly superior in this egalitarian country. Now it was the center of homosexual men that dominated the stage, jeans, t-shirts and leather dominated. Handkerchieves betrayed sexual preferences.
A middle-aged woman sang on stage, in a long flowing dress and cotton candy hair, she sang a self-written song in Dutch. The song was addressed to Anita, an orange queen from Florida, who as a newly reborn Christian had gone on a crusade against homosexuals.
As g**s would recruit children and young man to join their perverted lifestyle as she put it in an interview. He thought to himself that he had known at age eleven he was gay, no recruiting needed.
He now tried to focus on the singer and her lyrics, when the meaning of the words sank in, he got chills. She was such an unlikely advocate for the gay cause, mainstream popular, she was famous for songs with no significant meaning. But here she sang about gay man to stand up against homophobia and encouraging gay lifestyle. It was the world upside down. He felt emotional.
The concert had been organized in Amsterdam to raise money so they could advertise in the American newspapers their support to the gay community in Florida. They had felt it was important to show solidarity with our gay brothers and sisters on the other side of the Atlantic. You are not standing alone.
The concerts proceeds proved to be enough to advertise and the remaining amount was the starter for what in 1987 would become the homo monument. The first in the world for gay victims, past, present and future.
An excerpt of the 20 minute speaking engagement for @unwantedwordsproject the life story about gay resistance fighter Willem Arondeus and why his story is relevant for the present q***r community. #q***rness #q***r #lgbtq #q***rart #gay #gaymen #gayworld #pride #lgbtqia #instagay #nonbinary #q***rartist #ga**oys #bollywood @pakhuisdezwijger #gayhistory #q***rpride #loveislove #ga**oy #desi #instadesi #boys #love #amsterdam #desiq***r #desigay #desimen #men #grindrfail #laugh #prideamsterdam
#gayman #gay #ga**oy #instagay #gayguy #gaymen #gaylife #gaypride #gaylove #gayfollow #gayhot #g**stagram #lgbt #g**selfie #pride #gayfit #lgbtq #gayworld #gaybrasil #gayuk #gaycute #gaybeard #gaybear #love #gaylatino #instagood #boy #gaydaddy #loveislove #follow
#cycling #cyclinglife #bike #mtb #bikelife #cyclingphotos #roadbike #cyclist #ciclismo #bicycle #mountainbike #roadcycling #instacycling #mtblife #cyclingshots #fitness #cycle #cyclingpics #strava #love #sport #outsideisfree #running #bikes #bicicleta #bikeporn #ride #amsterdam #fromwhereiride #instabike
#gardening #garden #flowers #plants #nature #gardenlife #flower #gardendesign #growyourown #gardener #plantsofinstagram #naturephotography #gardeninspiration #growyourownfood #gardens #photography #green #plant #organic #mygarden #flowerstagram #flowersofinstagram #homegrown #gardenlove #plantsmakepeoplehappy #love #landscaping #landscape #organicgardening #gardensofinstagram
#amsterdam #netherlands #holland #rotterdam #travel #amsterdamcity #nederland #photography #london #paris #art #love #berlin #europe #iamsterdam #dutch #instagood #ajax #thenetherlands #utrecht #amsterdamlife #amsterdamcanals #denhaag #fashion #newyork #amsterdamworld #travelphotography #photooftheday #visitamsterdam #barcelona
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Yes I paint. #gayartist #gayart #gay #art #instagay #q***rart #q***rartist #gayartwork #artist #ga**oy #lgbt #q***r #gayman #gaymen #gaypride #lgbtq #drawing #artistsoninstagram #pride #illustration #gaylife #gayillustration #digitalart #artwork #maleart #gayartistsoninstagram #gaydrawing #gayguy #gaylove #love
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A mother and daughter from the US of A, Germany, a Dutchman and Saudi Arabia in the tour. #gayman #gayfinland #g**sverige #love #gayamerica #ga**oy #gayamsterdam #gaylife #gaymen #gayculture #bisexual #gayuk #le***anpride #lovewins #q***rart #gayitalia #transgender #podcast #tailoredgay #gayauthor #loving #gayrussia #lgbthistorymonth #gayinterest #blackgayhistory #lgbtlegend #gaycouple #vintagegaymen #trans #singlegay
#vondelpark #amsterdam #amsterdamcity #netherlands #amsterdamlife #iamsterdam #amsterdamworld #rijksmuseum #amsterdamview #amsterdamcanals #nature #travel #nederland #vondelparkamsterdam #amsterdamshots #amsterdamtrip #amsterdamcentraal #park #amsterdamlove #amsterdamfood #wanderlust #overtoom #vangoghmuseum #happy #holland #bloemenmarkt #amsterdamgram #annefrankhouse #nemosciencemuseum #photography
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I am proud and happy to have been asked by @unwantedwordsproject to participate in “Poeting Q***r History” in @pakhuisdezwijger to speak as gay/q***r historian. My community has a shared history and is often forgotten as the main narrative is cis white heterosexua. Be prepared for moving perspective of history. #gayamsterdam #gay #instagay #ga**oy #gaylondon #gayfrance #gayparis #gaypride #gayfollow #gayuk #gayberlin #gayguy #gaygermany #gayitaly #gayman #gayeurope #pride #gayaustralia #g**spain #gayusa #gaybarcelona #amsterdam #gaynl #gaymen #g**sydney #gaymadrid #gaylife #gayworld #gaylove #gayteen
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#homosexuals #gay #homosexual #gaymen #ga**oy #gayman #lgbt #gaypride #lgbtq #homosexuality #love #instagay #gayguy #gaycute #gaylove #gaylife #g**stagram #loveyourself #gaygay #transgender #homosensual #homo #homosexuales #homosexualit #bisexual #gaycouples #g**selfie #gaykiss #le***an #lgbtcommunity