COC Midden-Gelderland is the regional branch of COC, the Dutch LGBTQ+ association founded in 1953. It covers eighteen municipalities from Barneveld to the Achterhoek, with Arnhem, Ede and Doetinchem as the main towns, and has its base in De Lommerd, a neighbourhood centre on the Spijkerstraat in the Spijkerkwartier.
For someone new in town the most useful door is the information hour, where volunteers answer questions about coming out, sexuality and gender identity, for queer people as well as parents and professionals. Questions can also go in by email or chat.
The branch runs a long list of groups. Heerensalon is an afternoon drinks for men of all ages, Queermibo a social afternoon for the wider community, Transistor holds café evenings and game afternoons for trans and non-binary people, EmbrAce meets for asexual and aromantic people, AutiRoze is for queer people with autism, and Jong & Out is for teenagers. Cocktail supports LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees. Some groups meet at De Lommerd, others at the queer café De Kurk on the Steenstraat.
The people in this picture are AI-generated.
