“In all my life I have had to hide who I was, what I felt, why I do what I do, but this experience has changed all of that completely. The Experiment has allowed me to see that there is a whole world out there.” – Edward
What Experimenters Are Saying:
“Learning about the rich history of the Netherlands while also emerging myself in LGBTQ+ knowledge was a very great opportunity. While there, I have made so many life long connections that have made me realize a lot of things about myself. By being able to explore Amsterdam, I was exposed to so many different types of people that have changed my life for the better.” – Danielle
“During the day, we participated in activities including a black heritage boat tour and an LGBTQ+ tour of the Artis Zoo, profound lectures discussing topics such as trans* issues and the African diaspora, and excursions to cities such as Utrecht and Rotterdam. In the evening, we had the opportunity to explore Amsterdam’s various diverse neighborhoods, try new restaurants, go shopping at local establishments, and converse with locals on the tram ride to our host family. The Netherlands program was structured/organized enough for us to truly learn and get a taste of Dutch culture, while it gave us enough freedom to explore!” – Andre
“The program helped me become more aware of the ever growing issues regarding not only the LGBTQ+ community, but also those pertaining to human rights as well. Throughout our three week stay in the Netherlands, we participated in lectures by well-versed instructors about topics that ranged from Black diasporic music and literature to Trans* Issues in Netherlands and visited organizations such as The Hangout, a safe space for LGBTQ+ teens, in Rotterdam.” – Dominic
Program Highlights:
- Try out the Dutch way of living on a bike excursion to the Dutch coast
- Participate in workshops on sexuality and sex education and learn more about the Dutch approach to sexuality
- Go on excursion to Utrecht and visit Rutgers/WPF, the oldest organization in the Netherlands working on sexual health and sex education
- Go on a LGBTQ walking tour and meet with LGBTQ youth from Rotterdam
- Participate in a spoken-word workshop hosted by a Dutch-Moluccan queer artist and experience how poetry and spoken word can be a strong tool in the struggle for social justice and LGBTQ rights advocacy
- Visit the Peace Palace, the International Court of Justice, and the Permanent Court of Arbitration and learn about the Netherlands’ longstanding tradition of fighting for human rights and social justice
- Meet and exchange with LGBTQ families and their children and find out about their lives and experiences
- Participate in a group photo exhibition on your perceptions of gender and sexuality in the Netherlands
Visit our Netherlands: LGBTQ+ Rights & Dutch Advocacy program page to learn more.
