On Sunday 17 May 2026 – Norway‘s Constitution Day but also and foremost International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, aka IDAHOT or IDAHOBIT, Dennis and I partook in a Queer Walk by Linx+. A guided walk retracing Antwerp‘s queer history.
“Linx+ brings people together.” Rooted in the labour movement, it places social struggle and solidarity at its heart. Together, it fosters connection, culture, and engagement. Linx+ has extensive expertise in translating themes from labour culture and struggle into accessible, socio-cultural activities.
It does so for a broad audience, guided by its core values: solidarity, equality, democracy, and justice. Alongside its volunteer groups, Linx+ forms a wide network that contributes to a solidarity-based and inclusive society.
Linx+ has two LGBTQIA+ themed guided walks. ‘Stationswijk‘ (Station area) and ‘Schipperskwartier‘ (Red Light District). The walks are in Dutch.
‘Stationswijk’ focuses on the activist, social history of gay, lesbian, queer, LGBTQIA+ people in Antwerp. ‘Schipperskwartier’, starting and ending at the Groenplaats, focuses on the pink party scene. Going out, clubbing. Dennis and I did the Station area walk.
From the station to the Hessenhuis
I’m not going to spoil the tour. But it starts on Koningin Astridplein, where two guides talk about the cruising hotspot of the urinals on the square. Madame Pipi Lisette was a hero, as she turned a blind eye on the extracurricular activities but also stood on the lookout for police.
While sodomy or gay sex was decriminalised in Belgium even before the 1830 independence, when Republican France invaded the Austrian Low Countries in 1794, it imported its codified codex of laws, which did not include a criminalisation of sodomy or buggery, public indecency was and is forbidden and was used against gays.
From there, the tour takes us to a few former hotspots: a cruising alley, the Van Schoonhovenstraat, Café Strange run by Armand Everaert, the Gespreks- en OntmoetingsCentrum (GOC), the Sint-Jansplein, and the tour ends at Hessenhuis.
In some two hours, we learned about the pioneering years of post-World War II gay Antwerp. The walk was very interactive. Other participants organised the Roze Zaterdagen or Pink Saturdays in Antwerp in the 1990s. So it was an exchange of stories and anecdotes.
Queer Antwerp
- ANTWERP | Het Roze Huis holds Q-Week celebrating LGBTQIA+ community from 14 to 20 September 2026.
- ANTWERP | Queer spring season announced at Arenberg.
- PROGRAMME | Pinx 2026 LGBTQIA+ film festival in Ghent and Antwerp from 27 January to 1 February.
- ANTWERP | Queer Walks mark 30 years of Het Roze Huis.
- EuroGames 2028 in Frankfurt: will Antwerp aim for 2029 or 2030?.
- Antwerp Pride 2026 from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August.
- Beyond Darklands 2026 from Tuesday 3 to Monday 9 March at the Antwerp Waagnatie.
- ANTWERP | MAS exhibits Café Strange memorabilia after gay pioneer Armand Everaert passed away.
- EuroGames 2028 / 2029 / 2030 coupled to Antwerp Pride.
- PHOTOS | Rainbow lights on Antwerp landmarks for pride… and the municipal elections.
- ANTWERP | Discovering queer(ed) art with the Queer Tour at the KMSKA fine arts museum.
- Antwerp Pride, Jeffrey’s, Marie Antoinette, Armand Everaert win 2023 Touristico Gaylive Awards.
- ANTWERP | LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen stops.
- Rainbow zebra crossings of Antwerp.
- Rainbow zebra crossing in Borgerhout.
- Rainbow zebra crossing in Berchem.
- City chronicle ‘De kleur van de stad maakt mijn ziel amoureus’ recounts Queer Antwerp history.
- ‘Masculinities: Liberation through Photography’ exhibition at FOMU, Antwerp’s photography museum.
- Antwerp’s LGBTQI+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen wins Çavaria Media Award.
- PHOTOS | Rainbows lit Antwerp.
- Flemish LGBTQI+ press support rainbow community in Ukraine.
- ALLEMAAL ANTWERPENAAR | Antwerp launches campaign to motivate citizens to stand up against discrimination and intimidation.
- Borgerhout flies intersex inclusive Rainbow Progress Pride Flag for IDAHOT.
