Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 19:50:03 +0200 From: berts@xs4all.nl (Bert Schuur) Commemoration of Gay Victims of NAZI-occupation in Amsterdam Along with the Dutch national commemoration of the victims of NAZI-occupation on may 4th and the celebration of the libera- tion on may 5th the GALA-foundation (Gay and Lesbian Associati- on Amsterdam) will organise events of celebration and commemo- ration for the gay community. On may 4th the "homomonument" on Westermarkt (near westerto- ren/rozengracht/prinsengracht) will be the scene for commemora- ting all those who were murdered during World-war-II for being gay. Gay men who were arrested and put in concentrationcamps had to wear a pink triangle, just as jes had to wear a yellow star, gypsis a brown triangle etc. The pink triangle put the gays at the very bottom of the camps' social structure, which explains why only very few survived the camps. Much later this same symbol of oppression was turned into a symbol of pride by the gay movement. This is why the gay monument in Amsterdam has the shape of a pink triangle. It was created in 1987 out of respect for all gay women and men who all over the world have been and are being killed, discriminated against and denied the right to exist out of homophobia. Even as recently as 1971 men and women who wanted to commemorate gay victims of WW-II were removed from the official national ceremony at Dam-square. The gay monument in Amsterdam and the Holocaust museum in Washington (US) are now the only places in the world were such a commemoration takes place. On may 5th at the homomonument the gay community will celebrate the fact that 50 years ago the NAZI-occupation ended. Activi- ties planned include a concert by drag-queen Vera Springveer singing a collection of the best-known songs of Amsterdam folk- singer Johnny Jordaan. Johnny Jordaan grew up in the Jordaan, the area around Westertoren where he became famous as a singer of sentimental songs about Amsterdam and the Jordaan in parti- cular. Fear of rejection by the public he loved so much lead him to hide his homosexuality but after his (straight) marriage finally stranded he moved in with his one and only love Ton, whom he had met at the Jordaancabaret and with whom he at last found happiness. He moved to The Hague and later back to Am- sterdam (althuogh not back to "his" Jordaan) where he died on januari 8th 1989. Performer, drag queen Vera Springveer, who is becoming somewhat of a local celebrity here, by performing wants to commemorate the liberation as much as liberate the commemoration. Her concert starts at 13:00. At 16:00 the "hot club de dance open air dance party", organised in cooperation with gay disco The Cockring will start with a spectacular en- ding at 24:00. Source: Press-release from GALA-foundation, for contact infor- mation see below. *** "Transvestites Should Have Their Own Space" The Amsterdam health authority (GG & GD) has stated that in its opinion transsexuals and transvestites working as prostitutes in Amsterdam's red light district should be designated a speci- al area where to do their work. The main reason for this advise is that by seperating them from female prostitues customers will immediately know whether they are dealing with a trans- sexual or transvestite or not, thus preventing aggression from johns. The number of (mainly French) transvestites working in Amsterdam's red light district has been increasing steadily over the past few years. Out of a total of 300 prostitutes some 60 or 70 are beleived to be transvestites or transsexauls. Love from Holland, Bert berts@xs4all.nl The GALA-foundation (Gay and Lesbian Association) can be con- tacted via p.o. box 15815, NL-1001 NH Amsterdam or via phone: ++31-20-6161979. Offices are situated at Eerste Helmersstraat 17. ****************************************************************************** To send a message to the entire list "queerplanet", email queerplanet@abacus.oxy.edu To contact the List Manager, email queerplanet-owner@abacus.oxy.edu *******************************************************************************