Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [156]
Homosexuality was decriminalized in the Netherlands way back in 1811; a century later – still sixty years ahead of the UK – the gay age of consent was reduced to 21, and in 1971 it was brought into line with that of heterosexuals, at 16. In 2001 the Netherlands was again at the vanguard of gay and lesbian rights, when the country legalized same-sex marriages and introduced non-discriminatory adoption rights, with gay couples enjoying equal legal rights with heterosexuals. Same-sex couples holding hands and kissing in the streets are no more worthy of comment than straight couples; however, it’s fair to say that gay men in Amsterdam are much better catered for than lesbians. Although there is a sizeable lesbian community, the city lacks strictly women-only establishments, and the lesbian scene is largely limited to a few nights held in men-only or mixed clubs.
The city has four recognized gay areas: Reguliersdwarsstraat, with its trendy bars and clubs, is the best known, attracting a young, lively and international crowd, while quieter Kerkstraat is populated as much by locals as visitors, and includes a smattering of straight venues. The streets just north of Rembrandtplein and along the Amstel are a camp focus, as well as being home to a number of traditional Dutch pubs and rent-boy bars, while Warmoesstraat, in the heart of the Red Light District, is cruisey and mainly leather-oriented. Cruising is generally tolerated in places where it’s not likely to cause offence, such as in known gay areas, and most bars and clubs have darkrooms, which are legally obliged to provide safe sex information and condoms.
If you want more information, get a copy of the free Amsterdam Gay Map for visitors, published by the producers of the monthly magazine Gay News (€3.75), both of which can be picked up from the COC (see "Gay and lesbian Amsterdam") or from most of the bars and shops listed in this section. The Gay Amsterdam website, www.gayamsterdam.com, is also a good resource for bar and club listings, and another free map, Friends Gaymap Amsterdam, is available online at www.gaymap.info. You could also purchase a copy of The Bent Guide To Gay & Lesbian Amsterdam (€9.95), a practical and witty guidebook written in English by the volunteers at Pink Point (see "Resources and contacts") and available from the booth at Westermarkt or from bookshops listed in "Bookshops". Among the many local gay newspapers and magazines, Gay & Night (www.gay-night.nl), which is published monthly and costs €3.60 in newsagents (or free in a number of bars and shops), features interviews, news and film reviews. The fortnightly Gay Krant (€2.95; www.gk.nl) has all the details you could conceivably need, including up-to-the-minute listings, though it is available in Dutch only. Flyers and brochures for parties and gay-oriented shops can be found in most gay bars and businesses.
Gay-friendly hotels and bars are reviewed in this section and marked on the colour maps at the back of the guide.
Gay and lesbian Amsterdam |
Resources and contacts
In addition to the organizations and centres listed in this section, there are two important sources of information on the gay and lesbian scene: the Gay and Lesbian Switchboard (020/623 6565, www.switchboard.nl; Mon–Fri noon–6pm, Sat & Sun 4–6pm), an English-speaking service providing help and advice on all manner of things, including where to go out in Amsterdam; and MVS Radio (www.mvs.nl), Amsterdam’s gay and lesbian radio station, which broadcasts Monday to Saturday from 7pm to 8pm on 106.8FM (or 103.3 via cable).
COC Rozenstraat 14 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/626 3087, www.cocamsterdam.nl. Amsterdam branch of the national gay and lesbian organization, offering advice and contacts. Mon–Fri 10am