Advertisement

Updated April 1st, 2021 at 11:47 IST

Dutch gay couple reminisce about historic wedding

One of the first same-sex couples to get married in the Netherlands is celebrating 20 years of married life.

| Image:self
Advertisement

One of the first same-sex couples to get married in the Netherlands is celebrating 20 years of married life.

It's an anniversary made all the more special for Gert Kasteel and Dolf Pasker, as they were among the first four couples who tied the knot just after midnight on the day the Netherlands became the first country to legalise same-sex marriages.

They exchanged vows in a ceremony led by then-mayor of Amsterdam Job Cohen that made headlines around the world.

The Dutch capital marked the anniversary by flying a huge rainbow flag from the tower of the landmark Westerkerk church next to the Anne Frank House museum and floating a giant wedding cake on the city's historic canals.

Later, the city held an online symposium and it designated a "rainbow walk" route along 20 sites considered important in the struggle for LGBTQ rights.

Sitting with his husband in their backyard in a small town close to Amsterdam, Pasker said he was pleased that the trail they blazed has been followed by many other nations.

Henk Krol, a former editor of the Netherlands' largest LGBTQ newspaper, this week called same-sex marriage the Netherlands' "most beautiful immaterial export product".

But COC, the country's largst LGBTQ organisation, said that work towards full equality is not complete in the Netherlands, even two decades after the first same-sex marriage.

"In our private life it could not be better", Pasker said.

"But we know from newspaper, television and people we speak (to) that there still are homophobic people and there is some aggression to gay people."

 

Advertisement

Published April 1st, 2021 at 11:47 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Vijay Varma
a few seconds ago
Congress Press Conference
a few seconds ago
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir
2 minutes ago
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Rajya Sabha MP Keshava Rao is set to join the Congress party.
6 minutes ago
Byju's leadership dispute
8 minutes ago
Pulkit Samrat
14 minutes ago
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 LIVE
14 minutes ago
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
16 minutes ago
Sunita Kejriwal urged people to send ‘messages of support’ to Delhi CM
17 minutes ago
Allu Arjun Unveils His Wax Statue At Madame Tussauds In Dubai
18 minutes ago
Piyush Kumar, GATE 2024 CSIT Topper
21 minutes ago
A poster of Crew
23 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo