UU raises rainbow flag in protest of Nashville statement

With this action, the university joins the Love Shine A Light protest organised by COC Midden-Nederland. On Monday, the gay rights organisation will place colourful lights and candles at the LGBT monument at the Dom Square, as a “loving response” to the Nashville statement, in which homosexuality is rejected. Among other things, the document states: “WE AFFIRM that it is sinful to approve of homosexual immorality or transgenderism.” On January 4 a Dutch version of the statement was published. It was widely criticised within the country.

By raising the flag, the UU wants to emphasise that everyone is welcome at the university, regardless of origins, gender, or sexual preference. Unlike Coming Out Day, the flag will not be raised at other university buildings. The action is limited to the University Hall, because that’s where the COC Midden-Nederland protest will take place.

Utrecht University isn’t the first educational institution that raises the flag in protest of the Nashville statement. This week, Amsterdam VU University also raised the rainbow flag in support of the LGBTQI+ community, after it became known that five VU employees had co-signed the Nashville statement, and one of them had compared the gender ideology to nazi ideology.