Dutch Gay News September 3rd 1995

AMSTERDAM. Because of the relatively macho athmosphere in industrial companies
when compared to companies in the service-sector many gays working in industry
are being discriminated against, as a result of which a quarter of gay men are
still in the closet at work. Nearly half feel intimidated by collegues and some
15 % believe they have less career opportunities than their straight collegues.
Other findings from an investigation into the situation of gay men working in 
industrial companies, commisioned by the FNV labour union, are that many suffer 
from verbal and physical threats and that some 10 % call in sick from time to 
time because of the situation at work. The report -its findings were published 
last week in XL, the monthly COC-magazine- also found that many companies 
discriminiate against their gay employees by not recognising the partner in a 
same-sex relationship and instead granting pension and other benefits only to 
a (heterosexual) spouse.

DELFT. In last week's Dutch version of "crimewatch" Delft police appealed to 
the public to help solve a number of extortions of gay men that took place in 
june and july of this year. The 30-35 year old suspect, of whom police have 
good quality security camera pictures, called himself "Rick" or "Dick" and met
his victims through contact ads from gay men in local papers.
After a few visits to his victim's house he threatened the men with a (toy-?) 
gun and demanded their bank-cards with which he withdrew money from his victim's
bank account. In one case this amounted to several thousand guilders. Until now 
police know of only two men, one in The Hague and one in Delft, whom the wanted 
man has robbed, but believe these may not have been his only victims. When 
police go public with a case it usually means the investigation is at a dead end.

AMSTERDAM/JORDAAN. A small piece of his beloved Jordaan-area last week was 
officially named after Johnny Jordaan, the Amsterdam folk singer who became 
famous in Holland after appearing on Dutch tv in 1956. Johnny Jordaan, whose 
songs include "Amsterdam", "de parel van de Jordaan"(Pearl of the Jordaan),
"Geef mij maar Amsterdam" (Amsterdam for me) lived in the Jordaan until in the 
early seventies he divorced his wife and moved in with his male lover 
Mr. van Slierendrecht after which his popularity quickly waned. Although pleased 
that at last Johnny, who died in 1989, has his own square named after him there 
was critisism from supporters on alderman Guusje ter Horst, who had decided, 
against the advice of the Amsterdam advisory board on street-names and against 
the wishes of a group of fans lead by Mr. Pastor, to give Johnny a square 
described as "three parking spaces and a public lavatory" on which no-one lives.
Mr. van Slierendrecht, Johnny's lover for 17 years, in an interview for Mokum-tv 
critisised mr. Pastor whom he accused of stealing Johnny Jordaan memorabilia. 
The "Johnny Jordaanplein" is at the crossing of the Prinsengracht and the 
Elandsgracht.