Bas Smit is strongly criticized for his prominent performance during Pride Amsterdam. “If you really cared about Pride, you could have participated without promoting your wine brand.”
It’s no secret that Bas Smit likes to be the center of attention. Nicolette van Dam’s husband therefore participated in the cheerful Canal Parade during Pride Amsterdam on Saturday. He sailed through the canals in a pink boat in the shape of a car, with the name of his new wine brand on it.
Criticism of Bas
Bas wanted to be seen by everyone and demanded all the attention. He called on people on social media to take all pictures and videos of him and he then posted them on Instagram. “Wow what a sensational day this was ”, he said after. He thanked all his commercial partners for closing with: “#mygendermypride.”
Nienke ‘s Gravemade thinks it is unbelievable. The actress, who was in Op1 two weeks ago to talk about the controversial lustrum celebration of the Amsterdamsche Corps, believes that Bas is guilty of pinkwashing. She believes that he mainly uses Pride to promote his own commercial interests.
shocking
Nienke finds it shocking that Bas talks about ‘#mygendermypride’. “No, Bas Smit, you mean: #mygendermywinemarketing. If you really cared about Pride, you could have joined without promoting your wine brand. False allyship is a sinking ship,” she writes in her Instagram stories.
The actress is not the only one who thinks so. Similar voices can be heard on Twitter. “Bas Smit also casually abuses the Pride to fill his bank account by promoting his wine brand. And just keep smiling ?”, tweets Darcel, for example.
False involvement
Annemieke thinks Bas is faking his involvement in the acceptance of the queer community in order to earn money. “A pink boat with your own wine brand… And your point is?” she tweeted.
And Namfoh says: “See that Bas Smit is again advertising his rosé during Pride Amsterdam.”
Whether Bas has succeeded in his mission? People see through pinkwashing very quickly, says corporate anthropologist and DFT columnist Danielle Braun in De Telegraaf. “Gays can tell very quickly if they are ‘used’ as a target group.”
Criticism
The criticism on Twitter:
Bas himself looks back on Pride Amsterdam with a happy feeling: