39th The Rainbow Group
A roof over your head is sadly not a given for everyone. In Amsterdam an estimated 13,000 people are homeless or without stable housing, of whom roughly 3,000 are part of the LGBTIQ+ community.…
Description
A roof over your head is sadly not a given for everyone. In Amsterdam an estimated 13,000 people are homeless or without stable housing, of whom roughly 3,000 are part of the LGBTIQ+ community. With our participation in the Canal Parade we draw attention to this often invisible group and the overrepresentation of queer people among the homeless. Pride is more than a celebration of freedom and identity. It is also a moment of solidarity with people within our community.
For more than 50 years De Regenboog Groep has supported Amsterdammers in vulnerable situations. As a city caregiver we assist people facing homelessness or unstable housing, mental health challenges, addiction or social isolation. Within these groups LGBTIQ+ people are particularly vulnerable to exclusion, discrimination and unsafe situations.
To create a safe space specifically for this community, in recent years we have expanded our LGBTIQ+ services. Our buddy programme pairs Amsterdammers one-on-one with newcomers and queer people with mental health vulnerabilities. About 100 buddy pairs go out together every week to explore the city, find support and build a social network. We also provide LGBTIQ+ night shelter and low-threshold drop-in moments for homeless LGBTIQ+ people, and organise activities such as queer coffee mornings, shared dinners and themed gatherings.
De Regenboog Groep will only celebrate once everyone can live in freedom and has a safe place to stay. Given the high number of people without housing in Amsterdam, we chose the Roof Over Your Head Boat. It is a floating installation of rainbow-coloured tents that draws attention to everyone who is forced to sleep outside, especially queer people.
The floating ‘homes’ represent individual stories and together form a single visual expression of the theme unity. No people. Only tents. With one overarching message: this shouldn’t be a home.
We believe true unity goes beyond celebrating together. It also means caring together, seeing each other and standing up for everyone at risk of being left out. Only when everyone feels safe, seen and connected is Pride truly for all of us.
