Stories from Utrecht’s queer history

The sodomite persecution of 1730 marked a turning point because the ‘silent sin’ was no longer hidden from the general public.

From sodomite to homosexual: at first we only knew the sodomite, but during the 19th century the pederast, uranist, urninde and homosexual made their entrance.

Many LGBTQ+ symbols: the oldest to recognize each other, the newer ones recognizable for everyone.

After the liberation, war memorials were erected everywhere. In 1999, Utrecht received a memorial stone for the persecution of sodomites.

It is no longer possible to retrieve how many gay men and lesbian women in Utrecht have fallen victim to art. 248bis of the Criminal Code.

Following the example of the church, science and government, most Dutch people in the post-war period regarded homosexuality as a sin, disease or crime.

In Utrecht the relationship between the Christian faith and homosexuality changed from the 1950s onwards. Activists demanded acceptance and organized demonstrations.

In the ‘realistic novel’ "Men who are ‘different'’' (1963) the author uses the 1960s setting of Utrecht.

From gay cabaret Spitsroeden (1978-1981) emerged pop group Kadanz (1982-1985), which reached the Top 40.

Around 1980, Rymke Wiersma and Weia Reinboud started the anarcha feminist printing and publishing house Atalanta.

The Lesbian Archive Utrecht was founded in 1982, following the example of Leeuwarden, Amsterdam and Nijmegen.

The heart of the squatters' movement developed into a political and cultural centre.

Utrecht organist Janjob Remmers (1956-1994) lived with AIDS for four years. Some parts of his mother’s diary from that time.