On Sunday October 11, Steenbergen celebrated Coming Out Day by unveiling their new SocialSofa! Coming Out Day is a day that takes place annually to support people coming out of the closet. The Netherlands was the first country in which gay marriage was incorporated into the law, and we are proud of that. Still, there is a long way to go when it comes to the social acceptance of the LGBT community, as they still often face discrimination, street harassment or violence.
Luckily, there are municipalities like Steenbergen that want to draw attention to this issue. The rainbow bench symbolises acceptance and tolerance, and offers a place to talk and to have a conversation. During the unveiling, alderwoman Wilma Baartmans said that full acceptance is not there yet. “I hope that the rainbow benches will ensure that there is room for conversation,” said Baartmans. According to councillor Nadir Baali “we must therefore give space to everyone to be themselves”.
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