Monday, February 19, 2007

Teen gets parade boat in Amsterdam, but gay scholar gets death threats

On our next show, we talk with University of Amsterdam gay scholar Gert Hekma, who's embroiled in a nasty controversy in the Netherlands.

Danny Hoekzema came out as gay when he was 12 years-old. At 14, he wonders why there are no resources for gay youth in the Netherlands, where the age of consent is set at 16. He's managed to get gay parade organizers in Amsterdam (as well as the city major) to let him and his peers join the parade in a gay teen boat for those aged 12-16.

But in the process, a gay scholar who supports the teen boat idea has been pilloried in the Dutch media as well as the gay establishment, for his views on teen sex. Gert Hekma, who is a gay studies professor at the University of Amsterdam, has received numerous death threats on email and in blogs. His university, however, stands by him and supports his right to free speech. We talk with Prof. Hekma, who has authored over a dozen scholarly works on gay life and culture, about his support of youth sexuality and those on the "sexual fringe".

See press release. To listen to the show, click here: .

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