A bruised eye socket, being verbally abused and a broken rainbow couch: LGBTQ+ people in Zaanstreek-Waterland feel increasingly unsafe. This includes 19-year-old Liam from Wormerveer, who was recently assaulted after walking hand in hand with his friend. “I still don’t sleep well,” says his father. Liam: “It could have ended differently.”
What appears to be a perfectly normal teenager is sitting on a bench in Wormerveer. A quiet boy with tattoos and glasses. Liam* was born a girl, but has felt like a boy since childhood. He is in love and therefore regularly walks hand in hand with his partner on the street with confidence. Until two weeks ago.
“The only thing I remember is that I received a blow to my jaw,” says Liam, still clearly shaken. He is walking down the street with his friend when three underage girls start talking to the couple. Normal at first, but soon, according to the 19-year-old, they start ‘swearing with gay and man-woman’. His friend runs away. Liam stops.
He sustains multiple bruises. In his eye socket and neck. He also has major scratches on his neck. “I have always felt very good. It is a quiet village. The fact that this happened has a major impact.” Liam’s father adds: “It still makes me sleep very badly. Just because there is so much anger in me. Why wasn’t I there? Why wasn’t I on time?”.
Rainbow bench destroyed in Monnickendam
Wormerveer does not stand alone. The unsafe feeling is also increasing in Monnickendam, according to Reverend Alexander Noordijk and his husband Kai. In recent months, rainbow flags and benches have been vandalized in the city. “What is the reason you are doing this?”, the pastor wonders about the action. “It seems so elusive.”
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The pastor and his husband came to live in Waterland about a year and a half ago. She did not feel safe more in Amsterdam. “I can’t hang a flag here,” says Kai about his current place of residence. “I’m afraid we’ll get the same here.”
Bureau Discrimination Affairs Zaanstreek-Waterland recognizes the image that LGBTQ+ people feel less safe. In the whole of 2022, there were 16 discrimination reports. This year there have already been 22 reports. According to them, this is partly due to the many vandalism of rainbow expressions, the sometimes fierce anti-LGBTIQ + messages on social media. The various media reports also sometimes increase the feeling, according to the organization. “With four months to go, we can already talk about a strong increase.”
Although the Netherlands is labeled as a ‘free country’, that is not what Liam, Alexander and Kai experience. “We are really not very far with acceptance,” emphasizes the pastor. For 38-year-old Eric Sin, tolerance is one of the reasons for studying in the Netherlands.
To walk hand in hand
The Hong Kong-born student is religious herself and comes from a fairly conservative family. “It was hard to come out,” he says in English. “They have accepted it, but I think they still hope that I will marry a woman.” He does feel safe in the Netherlands, but does notice that in some places he is ‘more careful to express himself’.
“It strikes me that fewer people are showing their physical affection,” he says, referring to the hand-in-hand walking. Eric was hit by the destroyed rainbow flag and benches. “I was in shock and felt less comfortable.” He indicates that it feels like a small group wants to do something about the queer community. “It’s scary. It feels like you have to go back in the closet. You can’t be yourself completely.” According to Eric, it shows what is going on in the Netherlands.
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The situation is also problematic for a group of young people who still want to express their sexual orientation. Kai: “If someone is still in the closet, you don’t feel safe coming out.” 19-year-old Liam fully understands this and although he only shared it with a small group at school, he believes it’s important to be yourself. “I would just do it. If they are really good friends, they will stay with you. You will remain the same person.”
Personal
Liam’s physical wounds are healing, but the mental blows remain great. “I don’t go out alone anymore. I’m afraid someone will be behind me soon. It could end up worse.” The men hope that good education will turn the tide. Eric emphasizes: “It would help to get to know each other.” Talking and listening are very important in this, he adds.
He explains, “It’s hard to change people’s minds. If they really believe what they believe is the ultimate truth.” Still, Hong Kong-born Eric tries to keep talking to people. The pastor explains that people should ask themselves how to treat each other with respect. And 19-year-old Liam agrees: “Everyone is equal.”
*Liam is a fictitious name. He has become more careful since the assault and does not feel safe enough to tell his real name, which is known to the editors.
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Zaanstreek-Waterland
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