Junior Pride

Where it all started

Junior Pride originated in 2021, when teacher Elise Lodder came out of the closet in front of her class. The reactions on social media were overwhelming: a lot of support, but also negative reactions. That moment made one thing clear to Elise: she wanted to do more for the community. At the same time, Marco Altena, chairman of Youth Pride, was setting up Junior Pride. Their ideas and energy came together and thus Junior Pride was born.

Collaborations and activities

Meanwhile, Junior Pride has grown into an involved and active committee. We work together with organisations like Natural Foundation, COC, the OBA and Meer dan Gewenst. With all these partners, we are committed to one common goal: a safe and inclusive environment where every child can be themselves.

We support schools and education professionals in discussing sexual and gender diversity in the classroom. We will also be present during Pride Park with a varied programme for children, parents and teachers. Visitors can participate in craft activities, get their faces painted, listen to read aloud moments and stop by our information stand. This is how we make Pride accessible, educational and, above all, fun for young visitors.