Canal Parade Asian Communities boat
Saturday 6 August 12:00-17:00
Asian Communities Boat sponsored by Yip.com
For the first time ever, there is an Asian LGBTQ+ and Asian Communities boat at the Canal Pride! Keep an eye out for the Phoenix Rising!
The boat acts as a physical and metaphorical platform to raise the visibility of Asian and Asian LGBTQ presence for a more inclusive and diverse representation of Dutch society during Pride and highlights the intersectional parts of being both queer and Asian, as queer Asians are often discriminated against within queer spaces and communities too. For instance, for years, the use of the phrase ‘No Asians’ (next to ‘No blacks, no fats, no femmes’) in profile bios was a blatant sign of racism on dating apps like Grindr, the hyper sexualization of Asian women has been a historically damaging phenomenon that amongst others resulted in the mass shooting of Asian women in Atlanta in 2020, and trans women of colour are still the most vulnerable group with the highest murder, depression and suicide rates world-wide.
For the design, Phoenix Rising is a boat that proudly displays its Asian heritage through its colors, through its music, and its symbolism. It embodies the theme of Pride 2022 of rising beyond gender norms and obstacles to be its own beautiful free self as represented by the boat as the mythical Phoenix creature, an Asian symbol of ‘feminine’ energy, versus the traditional ‘masculine’ Dragon boat. Once afloat, it will serve to remind onlookers about the meaning behind the Phoenix – that of renewal, rebirth, and positive change in the face of adversity.
“YIP is sponsoring this year’s Asian Community Pride during Pride Amsterdam as it is an initiative close to our hearts. We are a small start-up with big ambitions, but we won’t ever forget our roots and culture. With our founders and team predominantly having Asian roots and ties, we wanted to sponsor an event that meant something not only to that culture, but to equality and inclusivity of all the people in that culture too. Being based in Amsterdam, we hope to bring more awareness and inclusivity surrounding the Asian queer community here in the Netherlands. We hope initiatives like this can help to end the negative stigma surrounding the Asian queer community, so that the future can be brighter for everyone.” ~ Stephanie Yip, COO Yip.com
