Happy Pride!

“Same-sex marriage can lead to the breakdown of society and serious diseases." This is taken from teaching materials used in Islamic schools that receive funding from the government. An investigation by the Dutch news program Nieuwsuur into both conservative Protestant and Islamic schools found that the education inspector barely intervenes. The fact that this is still possible in 2026 honestly blows my mind. I used to roll my eyes at "all those flamboyant people dancing on the Pride boats." Especially during my grumpy teenage years. It didn't help that I grew up with a father who had very outspoken opinions about it.

Needless to say, that didn't exactly help with acceptance of gay people in our home. I learned a lot from him: always wear a helmet, stay away from drugs, never drink and drive... and gay people are weird and disgusting. When you're a kid, pretty much everything your parents tell you feels like the truth. Thankfully, you're never too old to learn. Or to change your mind. These days, I've realized I don't need to have an opinion about everything. Pride isn't about me. So if you don't have anything kind to say about someone else's happiness, maybe just keep your mouth shut. Quite a few people in my life today don't fit into the traditional straight box. And one thing keeps coming up whenever the conversation gets a little deeper: almost all of them carry some kind of coming-out trauma from childhood.

Even in non-religious Dutch families, coming out is often met with disappointment instead of the acceptance and support you'd hope for. Now imagine adding a church to that. My views on homosexuality have completely changed over the years. I left my father's beliefs behind a long time ago. Unfortunately, acceptance in the Netherlands appears to be declining. A study among 31,000 high school students found that 41% believe people with a different sexual orientation are not equal. Even more disturbing, 35% believe people shouldn't be free to choose who they fall in love with. So maybe 'all those flamboyant people on the Pride boats' are still necessary. Maybe more than ever, especially after what happened in Berlin last week.

But sometimes I wonder if we're fighting an uphill battle. You can organize all the Pride events and awareness campaigns you want, but if children—during the most impressionable years of their lives—are taught at home or at school that being gay is wrong, disgusting, or even causes disease, how much progress are we really making? I wish I could decide where my tax euros go. I wouldn't give a single cent to religious schools. I'd also argue that religion should only be introduced once someone is old enough to decide for themselves what they believe. Not because religion is bad, but because I believe convictions are strongest when they're freely chosen. Maybe then we'd have a society with a little less judgment and a little more compassion. Live and let live.

Happy Pride. 🏳️‍🌈 Ferry.