8 November 2017 – Her Majesty Queen Máxima paid a working visit to the Hofstad Lyceum in The Hague this morning. The visit was dominated by the Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA). A GSA is a youth group that, with the support of the COC, is committed to a friendly climate in schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) persons. “This visit is a great honor for the COC and for LGBTI young people it is simply a huge boost”, says COC chairman Tanja Ineke about the visit. “It is not always easy for them at school. And how cool is it that you not only get support from friends and your GSA, but also from the Queen of the Netherlands?! That's just great.” Ineke recalled that Crown Princess Amalia is also committed to LGBTI acceptance at school. King Willem-Alexander told this during his visit to the COC last year.

The GSA at the Hofstad Lyceum is part of a national GSA Network which is active in approximately nine hundred secondary schools and MBOs in the Netherlands and the Caribbean. “A wonderful project that I am extremely proud of as COC chairman”, says COC chairman Ineke.

During the working visit, Queen Máxima spoke with twenty students from the GSA of the Hofstad Lyceum about what it is like to be LGBTI. The students gave short presentations about their activities, such as organizing actions against bullying, providing information and how students can stand up for each other. Jay – a transgender boy and member of the GSA – said that the GSA at Hofland Lyceum was the first place where he felt accepted and free to be himself.

As a so-called UNESCO school, the Hofstad Lyceum attaches great importance to tolerance, solidarity and solidarity. Queen Máxima spoke with the rector, teachers and other students about the effects of these values ​​in mutual interaction at school.

Queen Máxima spoke with COC chair Tanja Ineke and project leader Geert-Jan Edelenbosch about the GSA approach and the situation of LGBTI young people

During the working visit, representatives of COC Netherlands also explained the situation of LGBTI students and the national GSA Network. The COC supports the GSAs with, among other things, advice, national meetings and campaigns. One of these actions is Purple Friday, this year on December 8, in which students ask their fellow students to wear purple in solidarity with LGBTI youth. About 250 students participate in this every year. The GSA Network is financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

[Source: COC NL – Photos Queen Máxima visits GSA Hofstad Lyceum: Geert van Tol Photography for COC NL]