A.S.V. Gay: for fifteen years a safe haven for LGBTIQ+ community
Fifteen years ago, the queer community got its first student association in Amsterdam, but after years of progress, the emancipation of LGBTIQ+ people seems to be under pressure again. “In these times, it is especially important that A.S.V. Gay is a safe environment for personal development.”
Merel van Kessel can hardly believe that it has already been fifteen years since she founded A.S.V. Gay in 2010. Before she and her co-founders – and then-students – Suzanne Roodenburg, Nora Neuteboom and Fien de Vries went to the notary to register the association, they quickly popped into Zara. “We didn’t have anything decent in our wardrobes,” says Van Kessel, “so the four of us bought cheap jackets”. They opened an account for the association and each put in fifty pounds, an amount they could barely afford. Despite their lack of experience, they had the ambition to build something lasting.
Open platform
Van Kessel lived in a village before she went to university and had a romanticised image of LGBTIQ+ nightlife in Amsterdam. Once she moved, she was disappointed. “There were clubs and pubs, but few places where you could really party as a queer student.” The idea to start a student association for LGBTIQ+ people came from De Vries. The four had a clear vision: A.S.V. Gay had to be an open platform where all Amsterdam students were welcome.
Within a year and a half, A.S.V. Gay’s membership shot up from fifty to two hundred and fifty. “It’s nice to belong to a group where you are understood, find recognition and don't have to explain your sexual orientation or gender identity,” says Van Kessel. But she also believes that the accessibility, the lack of a strict hierarchy and the open, safe culture are important factors in the association’s success. “Over the years, I have heard from members that this atmosphere has always remained the same.”
Discrimination
The current chair, Tessel Wigboldus (21), sees A.S.V. Gay in 2025 as a place where members feel seen and can express themselves. “For queer people, it’s important to be around like-minded people, to not feel like a fish out of water for a while.” That sense of community and mutual understanding is sorely needed. “For example, members still regularly face discrimination.”
Wigboldus is no exception. “I am non-binary, have short hair and was born in a female body. That’s why I often get nasty comments thrown at me. We then talk about such experiences with each other within the association.” A.S.V. Gay also pays attention to this. “We recently had a workshop on microaggression. These are verbal and non-verbal expressions that are not always meant to be hurtful, but do have a negative impact on minority groups. During the workshop, we learned how to recognise microaggression and how to respond to it.”
Scapegoat
Sometimes the discrimination against queer members goes beyond verbal attacks. Member Mercia Bernhard (24) – a Master’s student in history at the UvA – was recently spat on. Another member was also subjected to physical violence: they were pelted with stones. “Still, a few years ago I was more bothered by street harassment,” says Bernhard. “But it still happens.” In politics, she sees a growing backlash. “More people are voting for right-wing parties, and the queer community is increasingly being made the scapegoat for problems that we did not cause.”
Bernhard believes that it is especially important in this day and age that A.S.V. Gay is a safe environment in which to develop yourself. “Some students are still unsure about their gender identity when they join, for example. They can discover that during their membership; everyone is very free and supportive.” She notices that this now also attracts students who may not have dared to join before. “We have had more trans members in recent years. That feels very special.”
Colour
Nevertheless, Bernhard would like to see A.S.V. Gay become even more diverse. “As an association, we hope that more people of colour will register in the future. Not only do I want them to have a place in student life, I also believe that new perspectives provide new insights. You learn from each other.” She understands that it can be daunting to join a group where few people are like you. “That’s why I'm so proud that more and more trans people are finding a place here.”
Although co-founder Van Kessel has not been involved with A.S.V. Gay for years, she still recognises the atmosphere and mutual connection of the past. “There’s a kind of DNA in the association,” she says. “I hoped there would be a sense of unity between the different groups. It’s not a given that the letters LGBTIQ will create a connection. But of course, it also creates a bond that you’re all studying and that Amsterdam is new to many first-year students. I think it's very special that we’ve managed to chart a course together as an association, especially as a community that is under pressure.”
