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Coming Out Day colours the Netherlands, but debate over flag continues

Authorities, police, Defence and COC organisations mark the day, while the role of the rainbow flag remains a subject of debate.

The Netherlands is marking International Coming Out Day today, the annual day for visibility and solidarity with LGBTQI+ people. Rainbow flags are flying and activities are being organised in municipalities, by the police, Defence and civil-society organisations; at the same time, the question remains what authorities should express with such a symbol.

Coming Out Day originated in the United States. Psychologist Robert Eichberg and activist Jean O’Leary organised the first edition on 11 October 1988, a year after the major National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The day was intended to celebrate visibility and show that people often do know someone in their circle who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. In the Netherlands, the day took firm root from 2009 onwards.

The rainbow flag became the best-known symbol of that movement. American artist and activist Gilbert Baker designed the first flag in 1978 for the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco. The widely used current version has six horizontal colours and represents pride, diversity, unity and equal rights. The Progress Pride flag adds an arrow featuring, among other colours, black, brown, light blue, pink and white, to highlight groups that were less visible within the community; a later version also includes a purple circle for intersex people.

Since 2015, COC has no longer set a national theme. According to the organisation, this has created more room for local and regional initiatives. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science does call on authorities to fly the rainbow flag. Because 11 October falls on a Sunday this year, municipalities often opt for Friday or Saturday. Veldhoven flew the flag at the town hall on Friday; Papendrecht did the same on 9 October.

In Drenthe, COC Groningen & Drenthe is organising activities around the day throughout the month. In many Drenthe municipalities, the flag is being flown on or around 11 October. In Groningen, a free Coming Out Show with music, drag performances, poetry and personal stories took place today. In Amersfoort, a social afternoon organised by Philadelphia and the Regenboogalliantie Midden-Nederland was also on the programme on Saturday.

This year, visibility is also coming emphatically from public organisations. Police forces across the country are flying the Progress Pride flag and, in the evening, illuminating one police station in each province in rainbow colours. The organisation links this to acceptance, inclusion and lowering the threshold for reporting discrimination, intimidation or violence. On Friday, Defence rolled out a rainbow carpet at the ministry in The Hague and flew the Progress Pride flag at Defence sites.

The flag is therefore both a sign of support and a subject of debate. For supporters, a municipality or government service shows with it that equal treatment and safety are also public responsibilities. Opponents argue that an administration should be cautious with symbols they regard as political or activist, and point out that a flag cannot replace policy. Some people within the LGBTQI+ community also question the idea that someone should have to come out publicly.

That tension was visible this week in Oldebroek. The municipal council withdrew the local LGBTQI+ policy and decided no longer to fly the rainbow flag at the town hall. Residents then put up flags themselves; several were stolen on Saturday. Nationally, the Lower House (Tweede Kamer) opted for visibility: a motion to fly the rainbow flag above the parliamentary building today was passed on Thursday, with 90 votes in favour and 36 against. The day thus shows that the flag can simultaneously be a symbol of solidarity, protest and identity, as well as a subject of debate about the role of government.

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