Dutch gay and lesbian soldiers, sailors, air force crew and other defence personnel who want to take part in this year’s Amsterdam Gay Pride event have been given permission to wear their uniforms on the parade through the city’s canals.

The Dutch Ministry of Defence says it’s backing ‘out in the open’ military participation during the week-long event. The homosexual representatives of the armed forces will have their own special boat in the famous Canal Parade - traditionally held on the afternoon of the first Saturday in August.

Massive sign
The boat is being organised by the Dutch Homosexuality and Armed Forces foundation, which represents gay military personnel. The organisation had asked the defence department to back its plan. In response, a ministry spokesperson said “the military personnel will be taking part in their normal uniform […] We have given permission”.

The Gay Pride organisers describe the move as “a massive sign to gays and lesbians in the armed forces that they can be themselves". The ministry itself says the wearing of uniform “makes it clear which club you belong to. That raises your profile.”

The Amsterdam Canal Parade features dozens of decorated boats which tour some of the city’s famous canals, filled – often to capacity – with a ‘rainbow’ array of homosexual, bisexual and transgender participants plus their heterosexual friends. The event attracts tens of thousands of canal-side spectators. The parade is now reported to be the second most popular public event of the year in the Dutch capital.

Different stance
In 2008, the then defence minister – from the small, strictly Christian Union party - refused to allow members of the military to take part in the event in uniform. In 2009, under a different minister, consent was given for them to do so as private individuals, but the minister – also from a faith-based party, the larger and more liberal Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA) – said he did not feel the Gay Pride event contributed to creating a positive image of people with a ‘different’ sexual orientation. The current minister of defence, Hans Hillen, is also a member of the CDA, but appears to have taken a different stance to that of those who held his job before him.

Amsterdam Pride week begins just days before the Canal Parade, and includes cultural and sporting events, street parties and workshops and – on the city’s Homo Monument - an event known as the Drag Queen Olympics.