Above: a selection of photos taken at the Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade 2008
(photos by Fred Vloo and Tim Fisher)
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Once again, dozens of boats carrying thousands of gay men, lesbian women and a small but significant number of heterosexuals too - many clad in scanty or extravagant clothing -have travelled through Amsterdam's canals in the now almost traditional Canal Parade. However this year, for the first time ever, several Dutch cabinet ministers were aboard the parade of boats.
"I'm joining the Gay Pride Canal Parade on behalf of the entire coalition," the minister (see photo) stressed in an interview he gave to Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
The day before the parade he attended a conference on the acceptance of homosexuality, held to coincide with the week of gay and lesbian events held in and around Amsterdam in the run-up to the weekend.
The climax of Amsterdam's annual Gay Pride is Canal Pride, when dozens of boats cruise through the capital's historic centre. Now a major tourist attraction, this year's parade, the 13th so far, was joined by a record 80 boats and watched by tens of thousands of people lining the canals.
Police, mayor, ministers...
Last year's dancing, waterborn crowds of often outrageously or scantily dressed men and women included a boat with employees of ING bank, now the event's main sponsor.
Amsterdam's police force, the Dutch armed forces, several political parties and other organisations all joined the parade with a boat of their own this year. Also taking part was Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen, the first mayor to do so. The education ministry, responsible for gender equality and gay and lesbian policies, also had a boat of its own.
"The Gay Pride is a public event where people show they are gay or lesbian and are proud of being so," Ronald Plasterk says."It is important for the government to show it shares that pride. We encourage people to dare to be themselves and live the way they want. We are keen to support them with that and the ministry's boat at the parade aims to make that support visible."
Discrimination
Minister Plasterk first announced he would attend the parade in a government boat last spring during the signing of an agreement with the country's four main cities. That agreement includes measures aimed at curbing gay and lesbian discrimination and earmarks 200,000 euros in relevant financial support for each city.
The agreement came in response to the rise in violence against gay men, the minister says. "We are very worried and outraged. Anti-gay violence, though it never disappeared, is flaring. In some urban neighbourhoods it's to do with youths from an Islamic background who are encouraged by the notion that homosexuality is morally repugnant. This is extremely worrying. When I talk about this at schools, it is shocking to hear how some young people think and talk about this. So a lot remains to be done. And not only at urban schools: 'queer-bashing' is something all kinds of youths do after drinking all around the country."
In addition to Minister Ronald Plasterk, the passenger list for the ministry's boat also included Deputy Minister Frans Timmermans for European affairs and Deputy Minister Sharon Dijksma for education. Interior Minister Guusje ter Horst was also due to attend to underline that all people are equal under the Dutch constitution.
Controversy and prejudice
The previous 12 Amsterdam Gay Pride events were often the subject of controversy. The extravagant outfits or minimal garments some of its participants have oft flaunted have proved offensive to some members of the public and organised groups over the years.
Minister Plasterk rejects criticism that the parade confirms certain people's prejudices regarding homosexuals, especially since the city nows sets a number of requirements for the participants: "I expect that this year's parade will, like those in past years, be extravagant but decent, so people will be able to take their children to watch it. Of course it's provocative but that's part of the fun. It's part of the point."
Only Labour ministers and officials were due to travel on the ministry's boat. The other coalition partners, the Christian Democrats and the small Christian Union party, reportedly declined invitations to attend.
Mr Plasterk does not blame them, also commenting that many politicians are on holiday. "Since gender issues fall under my ministry, I have taken the initiative. I'm joining on behalf of the entire cabinet. As for the others, it's a matter of being in the mood or in the country."
* RNW translation (cl)
Tags: Amsterdam, Canal Parade, Dutch government, Dutch society, Gay Pride, Homosexuality, Job Cohen, Labour Party, Ronald Plasterk