These archives discuss black queer history in the Netherlands and are set up with activists and community members from different generations.
House of Hiv – House of The Black Queer Archives
It’s almost impossible to summarise in a single room the forty-year struggle against HIV and Aids by the LGBTQ+ community of colour. It’s not just a matter of the limited physical space available here. The fact is, the Black scene was and is still much less visible and more sheltered. By Black we mean not only Afro-Dutch, but in fact all non-white communities.
In many cultural groups of colour, the LGBTQ+ communities still face considerable stigma – not to mention the stigma of HIV. The risk of being rejected by your family was – and unfortunately still is – very real. On top of that, your entire family runs a risk of being turned away by the cultural group to which they belong. Secrecy and discretion are commonly the only survival tactics.
In this room, we decided to let a number of activists tell Black history in words and/or pictures. We asked the following prominent activists who were/are open about their sexual preferences and sometimes also about their HIV status: Jerry Haime, Anne Krul, Reggie Williams, Marlon Reina, Mikel Haman and Andre Reeder.
Since the 1980s, they have all been creating safe spaces and community initiatives for people of colour, whether or not they were openly queer and/or living with HIV.
We hope you feel at home and get to know these Black community leaders and initiatives.
Photos of the exhibition:
