Date: Fri, 24 Feb 1995 23:46:07 +0100
From: berts@xs4all.nl (Bert Schuur)

Dutch gay movement holds national congress

On saturday 26 of november the provincial town of Zwolle in
the eastern part of the Netherlands welcomed some 120 repre-
sentatives from the 33 local chapters of the Dutch Association
for the integration of homosexuality COC-N.V.I.H. who had come
for their one day annual congress. In his welcoming speech
Zwolle city counsel member mr Jansen pointed to the very
important theme of solidarity in order to achieve positive
changes in society. But as one of those attending remarked mr
jansen in his speech not once used the word Homosexual or
Lesbian.
Chairman Cees van Wijk, after a special word of welcome to
representatives from non-Dutch groups, fellow gay organisa-
tions and the "Gay krant"(largest Dutch gay periodical), in
his opening speech touched on the problems the Dutch Lesbian
and Gay organisations are facing. These can be summed up as:
Cutbacks in financial support from the government and problems
in setting up an organisation in which all Dutch gay and
lesbian groups work together as required by the minister. The
COC and its partners are adapting to the changes by applying
for subsidies to support specific groups and projects instead
of just asking for money without specifying for what purpose.
The international climate seems to become less and less favou-
rable to gays and lesbians worldwide and (on the EUropean
front) the situation is still especially bad in Albania and
Rumania. Referring to this month's US congressional elections=7F
he said: "We Europeans do not intend to compromise on what we
have achieved just because some mr. Helms does not agree with
the way some countries are run."
He pleaded for more cooperation between the COC and the com-
mercial gay scene and in this context praised Amsterdam gay
bussinessman Manfred Langer who died last week. "The commerci-
al gay scene in its own way has been doing much to promote the
gay and lesbian cause, mainly by making our community more
visible". He mentioned last month's successfull second annual
gay and lesbian lifestyle exhibition "Homo Expo" as a further
example of how the gay bussiness community is contributing to
the visibility and emancipation of the gays and lesbians.

Four members of the board of the COC were (re-)elected, among
these mr. Cees van Wijk, whose style of leadership has been
under some criticism lately.

Some concern was voiced with regard to the current shortage of
sperm donors, which leads to discrimination of lesbian couples
in favour of heterosexuals. The COC is taking action by acti-
vely lobbying political parties to get this matter settled in
upcoming legislation.

Questions were also raised concerning a loan of DFL 50,000
(US$ 27,000) the COC gave to the (now bankrupt) Europride '94
organisation when it was abundantly clear the it was going to
be a financial fiasco. A motion asking the board, against a
stipulation in the contract between Europride and the COC, to
give complete openness concerning the affair was defeated by a
narrow margin. The official viewpoint was repeated here that
without the loan the pride march on june 26 would have been
cancelled due to lack of funds. In a documentary shown on
Amsterdam tv last week however the agreement in question was
shown and parts from it were quoted.

A proposal to bundle commercial activities (sale of promotion
material, condoms, XL-magazine and later on the exploitation
of the COC-bars) into a separate foundation was defeated as
the congress felt that the plans presented should be discussed
within the framework of a long-term strategic plan for the
organisation as a whole. The matter was referred to next
year's congress.
Also on the agenda were next year's budgets (approved) and
proposals to change the stucture of the membership fee (refe-
rred to next year). Two voluteers were presented with a medal
for their contribution to the COC.

Love from Holland,

Bert Schuur