Queer refugees in The Netherlands
When
29 November 2025 – 15 February 2026
Location
IHLIA Plaza (3rd floor OBA Oosterdok)
Free entrance
Mo-Fr: 08.00 – 22.00 hrs
Sa-Su: 10.00 – 20.00 hrs
As of the 1980s the Netherlands recognises asylum applications on the grounds of sexual orientation due to the motion Becker. However, it was only in 1992 when asylum was first granted on the grounds of homosexuality. For decennia, queer refugees were invisible. They were not taken seriously and their safety in reception centres was not self-evident.
To this day, queer refugees in the Dutch reception centres experience verbal and physical intimidation, as well as exclusion. At the same time, asylum procedures have become more strict, the burden of proof has become heavier and the centres are facing large amounts of pressure.
Work-in-progress exhibition
The exhibition shows the experiences of queer refugees in the Netherlands from different points of view: political policy and the asylum procedure, as well as the organisations, initiatives and communities in which queer refugees find support. At a time of increasingly strict asylum policies, it is all the more important that these stories are made visible.
This work-in-progress exposition combines archival material with new, personal stories. Participants of Queer to Support curate and built the expansion, as a means to prepare for the event on 28 January 2026.
(Un)documented not only shows the historical development of Dutch policy concerning queer refugees, but also highlights the work that still remains. Safety, recognition, and equal treatment are not guaranteed, they are ongoing processes that demand constant attention and commitment.
Collaboration:(Un)Documented is a collaboration between IHLIA and Queer to Support, the queer community of Here to Support.
MORE PROGRAMS
Queer to Support participants are curating and co-building this extension in preparation for the public programme on 28 January 2026.
