John Blankenstein Foundation
Sing along with our chanting boat and shout out loud, “Football is for gays!” We speak out loudly against homophobic chants in men’s football, which sadly still is a common thing in Dutch football. And if you stand on the quay of the Amsterdam canals, you too become a football supporter in the stands of […]
Sing along with our chanting boat and shout out loud, “Football is for gays!”
We speak out loudly against homophobic chants in men’s football, which sadly still is a common thing in Dutch football. And if you stand on the quay of the Amsterdam canals, you too become a football supporter in the stands of our chants boat. Everyone on the side sings along with our clear message, fully in line with this year’s Canal Parade #youareincluded theme. After all, sports are for everyone, so football is also for gays.
A boat against homophobic chants
We are not a party boat, but we bring our message in a very festive way. After all, we are completely fed up with hate chants in football. They contribute to an unsafe environment for LGBTI+ athletes and supporters, while the world’s most popular sport should be accessible to everyone. We are tackling the problem at its core: homophobic verbal abuse in men’s football. We will sing non-stop LGBTI+-friendly songs. As soon as we appear from under a bridge, our boat will instantly appeal to every football fan.
Homophobic speech choruses in men’s football
Chants are inseparable from football. They are sung in stadiums to encourage teams, enthuse supporters and increase revelry. But they are also used to insult players or fans. In the Netherlands, the chants are often homophobic. This can often be heard in the stadium, on the pitch and also on TV.
During the Canal Parade, we will sing chants that will improve the atmosphere in the stadium. Our songs are so catchy that we are sure everyone along the side will sing along at the top of their voices. And for those who don’t know the (Dutch) lyrics, there are big screens on the boat for a real karaoke experience.
The John Blankenstein Foundation
We are the John Blankenstein Foundation, and we work to create a safer sports climate in the Netherlands for LGBTI+ people. John Blankenstein was one of the best referees on Dutch fields in the 1980s and 1990s, praised by many footballers for the way he directed matches. After John’s death, his sister Karin set up the foundation. Nowadays we are the authority in the Netherlands when it comes to LGBTI+ acceptance in sports. Our boat during the Canal Parade is part of a larger campaign we are conducting against offensive chants in sports.
We want to show that everyone should feel at home in sports and in the football stadium. The timing is perfect because a week after Pride Amsterdam, the Dutch football competition kicks-off. Let’s make sure this is the start of a football season without homophobic chants.
