Senior Pride

The life wisdom and experience of pink seniors are an essential pillar within the LGBTQIA+ community and society as a whole

The origins of Senior Pride

Starting in 2006, several Pride initiatives for LGBTQIA+ seniors emerged. Mokum Roze, a pink network of Amsterdam organisations for care, welfare and housing, started a Pride Brunch at the initiative of COC Amsterdam and the Schorer Foundation.

At the same time, initiatives arose in the gay hospitality industry to organise a pink concert. And nursing homes found it important to make Pride visible to their residents and staff. To inform seniors about all this, the nursing homes published a joint Senior Pride Newsletter. These initiatives eventually led to the formation of the Senior Pride Committee.

Mission and Goals

Senior Pride is committed to making sexual and gender diversity among seniors visible and discussable, both within and outside the LGBTQIA+ community.

Within the LGBTQIA+ community, the focus is often on youth and vitality. While everyone gets older and getting older brings with it a lot of beauty. Pink seniors started the emancipation struggle. And took to the barricades - against the odds. With their life experience, wisdom and talents, they were and are of great significance to the gay movement and society. They therefore deserve recognition and appreciation.

Outside the LGBTQIA+ community, few people dwell on the existence of gay seniors. Seniors have 'often' learned to make themselves invisible and keep quiet. As a result, they often go unnoticed by staff, welfare organisations and policymakers. However, these seniors too want to feel free, safe, seen and valued. Without having to struggle again.

Pink seniors have a shrinking social network. They need to meet fellow feelers. By organising this and increasing visibility, Senior Pride contributes to their well-being, empowerment and the development of their social network.

Senior Pride organises activities and disseminates information to achieve its goals.

Activities

Pink Brunch

organised a Pink Brunch the Friday before the Canal Parade. This is a cosy and inclusive gathering with space for meeting, conversation and entertainment. The brunch takes place every year at changing locations and accommodates up to 175 guests from various pink target groups.

Senior Pride Concert

On Thursday 31 July, from 18:30 onwards, the warm and colourful Senior Pride Concert, the musical beginning of the Street Parties during Pride Amsterdam 2025, will once again burst onto the Nieuwmarkt. This special evening is entirely dedicated to our pink pioneers - the warriors who paved the way for future generations in the LGBTQ+ community.

With performances by the likes of Dolly Bellefleur, Sjors van der Panne, Peter Beense, Silver Metz and Maggie MacNeal, it will be another party full of recognition, connection and gratitude.

An intimate and free event for senior citizens, but everyone is welcome - young, old, local or casual passer-by. Come along, raise a glass, sing along and celebrate love at the most beautiful place in Amsterdam.

For more information see:
https://seniorpride.nl

Junior Meets Senior

Since 2019, Senior Pride and Youth Pride have been working together regularly to connect different generations within the LGBTQIA+ community. During activities or a joint lunch, young people and seniors share their experiences, stories and perspectives.

This initiative offers a unique opportunity for intergenerational exchange, where young people learn from the struggles and life wisdom of seniors, while seniors gain insight into the contemporary experiences of LGBTQIA+ youth.

Senior Pride in residential care centres

Nursing homes are diverse and colourful communities where residents, staff and volunteers from different backgrounds come together. Pride is celebrated there as ''the celebration of love''. Through song, dance, lectures, films and decorations, sexual and gender diversity is made visible and discussable. This contributes to an inclusive and safe environment for residents and staff.The number of nursing homes organising these activities is growing every year. In 2010, the first Senior Pride was organised in 7 nursing homes. By 2019, that number had grown to 50 large and small activities. And in 2022, 28 nursing homes organised 65 pink activities!

Nursing homes are colourful communities. They form a mini society. Most residents have roots in the Netherlands. But many also have roots in the former colonies or in other countries. In many centres, half the staff and volunteers have roots in another culture.
Residents, staff, visitors, students and volunteers therefore differ in sex, gender, age, orientation, culture, belief, socio-economic position, etc.

Nursing homes want to be living and meeting centres where everyone can feel free and safe. And can be themselves. Where there is respect, tolerance. Where people feel seen, heard and recognised. Where they feel connected with each other, can meet fellow feelers and do meaningful activities that match their background and interests. Nursing homes therefore often have an active diversity policy. Several homes also have a Roze Loper: a quality certificate for sexual and gender diversity.

The impact of Pride in nursing homes is huge. In a home with 100 residents, you often have 100 employees, 100 students and volunteers, you have at least 100 loved ones and many visiting local residents. By organising pink activities as a nursing home, decorating the house and placing an article in the house magazine, sexual and gender diversity is made visible and discussable among a very large group of people.

Senior Pride News

From 2010, a paper and digital Senior Pride Newsletter was published. With articles, interviews and information about pink seniors. With on the first page a foreword by a figurehead: someone from politics, a pioneer from the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition, the agenda of Pride activities, interviews with LGBTQIA+ people, a pink social map (an overview of organisations organising activities and meetings for pink seniors) and an address list of LGBTQIA+ friendly homes. From 2025, information on Senior Pride will be offered mainly digitally, so that it remains accessible to a broad target group.

An Inclusive Future

Senior Pride remains committed to an inclusive society where pink seniors feel recognised, valued and connected. By organising meetings and activities, we increase the visibility and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ seniors and together build a future where everyone can be themselves, regardless of age, gender or sexual orientation.