Amy (13) and Isa (12) are waving a rainbow flag in front of the town hall in Zaanstad. “It is nice that so many peers also think about it in the same way, that you are not the only one”. Today they are walking along with hundreds of others on the first big Zaan rainbow parade.
“We have been looking forward to this for three years,” says Frankie Vos of Zaanpride. In recent years, because of corona fell into the water. “Back then you had to walk in groups of two or three people”. Then there were just two hundred people, now many hundreds walked along.
‘Just proud’
A large part of the walkers are young people. Thijs (14) likes that there are so many young people. “That means that more and more generations like to be open about it, and that’s a lot of progress.” Morgan is also proud that she can walk around here. “It’s the first pride for me and I’m going to celebrate it with friends and my girlfriend, just proud”.
Combatant
Vera, Miss Gay Holland 2022, lives in Purmerend, but is a born and bred Zaankanter. She fully enjoys the party and the weather, but also finds it important that the community remains militant. “Because there are still many countries where gays and lesbians are imprisoned and sometimes even given the death penalty.” That is why she thinks it is important that the parade is there so that everyone can just show themselves.