Betty Dodson with Carlin Ross
Better Orgasms. Better World.
I'm moving to Scandanavia: A park near Amsterdam has unveiled information signs pointing out spots where officials say gay men are known to have sex, so visitors are not taken by surprise.
The signs "clearly indicate what is happening in each zone; also those where gay men are known to practice 'cruising'," municipal spokeswoman Manon Koffijberg said.
Cruising is a slang word used to describe the act of trawling for casual sex. "If you don't want to be confronted by a vision of that sort, the signs allow you to avoid specific areas," Ms Koffijberg said.
The De Oeverlanden park in Slotervaart, south-west of Amsterdam, is known as a place where homosexuals from all over the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe go in search of sex partners.
Ms Koffijberg said that while having sex in public was against the law, the park has been used for this purpose for so long that it has become "gedoog", a Dutch word for tolerating unwanted behaviour.
The sexual activities of cruisers, she said, kept mostly to the bushes in the park, and the new signs sought to ensure that they stayed there.
"There are various groups of users of the park; people with small children who bathe on the beaches, those who walk their dogs, gays cruising and nature lovers," Ms Koffijberg said.
"Things are arranged so that each group can relax in their own area without intruding on each other."
There had been recent complaints of gay bashing in the Slotervaart area, populated by a large group of immigrants of Muslim origin, with reports of robberies and violence against gay men in De Oeverlanden park.
Carla's Comment
got this comment from a friend of Betty's by email. I apologize for my geography naivete:
While "recovering" from yesterday's Queen's Day (30th April) in Amsterdam, I just read your site contribution Dutch signs point to gay sex of 30th April.
In reading it, it occured to me that the Dutch verb "gedogen" is unique in the world; it means more than the translation of tolerate, put up with, stand.
In the line of your mentioned article there is our word
gedoogzone: area or town where the authorities allow certain (illegal) activities to take place, esp. prostitution, for instance red-light district (source: Van Dale renowned dictionary). And: gedoogbeleid: policy of tolerence.
One small thing you might appreciated to know (like I would like be pointed out to):
the cited word "gedoog" misses a d: gedoogd (the Past particle of gedogen) would be perfect. But then, You made not that mistake.
Carlin, when you are moving to "Scandanavia", be certain you take the right "trail".
The Netherlands* do not belong to SCANDINAVIA (with 3 a's). Scandinavia consists of three politically independant countries namely Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
Because they are geographically situated in the North of Europe and have been connected politically and historically in the past they are referred to as a group.
They are unique, mystical and beautiful. People live more in line with nature and they are not so uptight for instance about sex like the rest of the Western world NL included. General qualification. My observation in situ (Norway 2008).
The rest of Northern Europe are also independant countries but they are to my knowledge not specially connected by a name like Scandinavia.
Looking forward to your all, new sex education site films.
Common opinion
Thanks for the post! I wonder what search engine you use to find the desired film? I use rapidshare SE, and you?
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