Gay History: NOT The Only Gay In Village! Plans Revealed For ‘No Straights’ Commune

A PLAN to build a “gays only” gated housing estate “with all mod cons” has been revealed as an elaborate hoax.

ALL ABOARD: Would a gays only commune be of any benefit at all to society? [GETTY]

The Gay Village project described itself as a scheme to create a prejudice-free community in Tilbery, Netherlands, complete with a cooking school and tennis courts.

The plan was endorsed by officials, estate agents and developers when it looked like building may go ahead.

Tilburg mayor, Peter Noordanus, welcomed the plan.https://get-latest.convrse.media/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailystar.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flatest-news%2Fgay-only-commune-in-netherlands-18734601&cre=top&cip=6&view=web

He said: “A tolerant city is pleased to have a gay community within its borders.”

It later emerged that the officials were persuaded to play along by the Roze Maandag (Pink Monday) foundation which hosts an annual day at the Tilburg Fair, dedicated to LGBT issues.

HOAX: The plan for the housing estate was an elaborate joke to raise awareness [GETTY]

Roze Maandag posted on its website stating: “Although Gay Village is not real, intolerance against the gay community is.”null

The website explained how they were inspired to act by recent surveys showing that nearly a quarter of all gay men in the Netherlands – regarded as one of the most tolerant countries in the world – did not feel safe in their own neighbourhoods.

Despite being a hoax the story was met with intense criticism when it was first revealed.

Many argued that by “ghettoising” itself the LGBT community were doing nothing to help tackle homophobia and transphobia.

The group said it was pleased that the story gathered negative attention, stating: “to the effect that a gay village is indeed ‘ridiculous’”.

A spokesperson told the Netherlands Times: “We are happy with the thousands of negative, and the fewer positive, reactions.

“It is great to hear that the majority is against the idea. All we wanted was to create an awareness, and we are certain that we succeeded in this.”

EQUAL: The hoax highlighted the need for society to be more inclusive of all members of all communities [GETTY]

Reference

NOT the only gay in the village! Plans revealed for ‘no straights’ commune, Daily Star, 19 June 2014 Updated 10 May 2015, by er https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/gay-only-commune-in-netherlands-18734601