Amsterdam is dreaming of a pink Christmas

Wednesday, 10th December 2008

Written by Francesca Cookney

Dutch organisation ProGay yesterday announced its plans for a 'Pink Christmas' festival in Amsterdam, designed to offer more gay-orientated events and activities over the holiday season. It also hopes to encourage people to think about homosexuality in relation to the Christmas celebrations.

"Christmas is about more than religion, it's also about love and families," said ProGay chairman Frank van Dalen and the social concept of family has evolved: "Two men or two women can form a family too these days, even one with a child."

But Christmas is also about shopping, he conceded, and consumerism too will be catered for with a 10-day festival of markets, parties, gay-themed films and an ice rink. There will even be a nativity scene with two Josephs and two Marys, something van Dalen insists is merely a "wink" to Christian fundamentalists.

This is the first time any such event has been planned in Amsterdam and the initiative is also intended to help re-establish the city's reputation as a gay capital which has been waning in recent years. Gay marriage has been legal in the Netherlands since 2001 and the adoption rules are equal whether the couple is straight or gay but despite the country's renowned tolerance and liberal politics, homophobia is still a big problem with gay men attacked almost every week.

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