Forty Children to Join in Amsterdam Gay Pride Parade

Forty children will take part in Saturday’s Gay Pride boat parade through the Amsterdam canals. They are all under the age of 16.

It is the first time a boat especially for children will be included in the annual parade. Danny Hoekzema, a 14-year-old boy, thought up the idea for the children’s boat together with gay rights organisation COC.

Hoekzema’s announcement of the plan this spring caused considerable commotion. A ban seemed imminent, but Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen and Emancipation Minister Ronald Plasterk gave permission after COC agreed that the children would be accompanied by their parents. The children would also not be dressed as scantily as many of those taking part on ‘regular’ boats.

COC announced yesterday that 40 “homosexual children” would be taking part. “They will be encouraged by dozens of youngsters who are not venturesome enough to join in from the boat. About sixteen parents will be on board, wearing T-shirts with the text ‘Proud Parent’.”

COC’s intention is “to show the entire country that there are young homosexuals who are completely normal boys and girls.” For COC chairman Frank van Dalen, there is no doubt that children can know that they are homosexual or lesbian. The question is “why there are young people who sometimes know this as young as eleven, but who are denied the right to be happy and to shape their own identity.”
- Source: NIS News Bulletin, July 31, 2007

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