Support groups for ‘homophiles’
In 1963, De Kringen (The Circles), support groups for gay and bisexual men and women, were founded, also in the Utrecht region. So in 2023 they exist for sixty years. All LGBTI+ are welcome.
Need for contact
De Kringen was founded at a time when homosexuality was still a major taboo. The cradle was founded by three progressive clergymen, the pastors Rein Brussaard and Alje Klamer and Father J.B.F. Gottschalk, who guided gays in their pastoral work. Klamer also brought up homosexuality in broadcasts he made for the national radio in the early 1960s.
At that time, coming into contact with like-minded men and women was cumbersome. It was only possible through personal advertisements or meeting in the C.O.C. club (then still with dots for the abbreviation of Cultuur en Ontspanning Centrum (Culture and Relaxation Centre)), in a pub or on cruising areas. It was extra difficult in regions where there were no C.O.C. societies and few or no gay bars. And for many gay and bisexual men and women, the threshold of a gay pub or C.O.C. club was too high. Many remained in the closet and conformed to societal norms by marrying and having children.
Advantages of invisibility
The first Kringen were founded in 1963 under the name ‘Contact groups for homophiles’. In an atmosphere of secrecy, security and anonymity, the members came together in someone’s private living room. Because Kringen members were afraid of meeting people they knew, sometimes, they preferred to choose a Kring outside their own hometown. These groups were initially strongly determined by the Christian background of (most) participants.
Each Kring was autonomous and the members decided among themselves what they did on a Kringavond (Circle Evening), this is still the case today. At a time when many COC societies had their own premises, all Kringen work was organized at home. The invisibility of De Kringen also had advantages. The participants could meet each other without condemnation from the angry outside world and share their feelings and thoughts. Everyone could accept themselves and work on coming out at their own pace. Coen Mobach: ‘At the COC support groups I had the feeling that it was a course in which the participants had to come out of the closet before the tenth meeting.’
National and local cooperation
The number of Kringen grew and the need quickly arose for a national organization that was called the National Association of Circles for Homophiles (Landelijk verband van kringen voor homofielen). Local Kring members met at the annual meeting or nationally organized weekends. In 1980 the first issue of the Keerkring, a periodic information bulletin, was published. In 1986, the national association transformed into the De Kringen Foundation. The foundation form was necessary to receive financial support from the government and funds.
In Utrecht, the Collaborating Utrecht Kringen (Samenwerkende Utrechtse Kringen) also participated for a while in the Advisory Committee on Gay and Lesbian Emancipation (Adviescommissie Homo- en Lesbische Emancipatie). This committee provides solicited and unsolicited advice to the Utrecht city executive board since 1986, the year of the first national gay pride festival Roze Zaterdag (Pink Saturday) in Utrecht. The platform of queer organizations had regular consultations with municipal officials. On behalf of the Utrechtse Kringen platform, a report was written about the emancipation of gays and lesbians in healthcare and education. The first Utrecht information guide Homo Info was also published to raise awareness on the existence of the various queer organizations in Utrecht.
JoKo’s
Around 1986, the foundation in Utrecht started youth Kringen for gays and lesbians between the ages of 18 and 30. That became a resounding success for the organization, which had the image of being invisible and only existing for older men. Some Kringen protested against this initiative for fear that it would cause them to age even more. The development of the Utrecht Youth Kringen was followed with critical interest by the national board.
The number of registrations of young people and thus the number of youth Kringen increased rapidly in the early 1990s. At its peak, there were about 25 Youth Kringen in the Utrecht region with about 250 active participants. That naturally made the members curious about the people in the other Kringen. That is why, in addition to the Kring Evenings, cross-Kring activities were also organized such as the newsletter SUKses (Samenwerkende Utrecht Kringen (Collaborative Utrechtse Circles)) and the KAK (Kringen Activities Kafé; the abbreviation also means ‘poop’ in Dutch). The KAK initially organized monthly bar evenings for De Kringen, but later also weekends (including canoeing) and even Youth Weeks, such as the JoKo camps. This quickly gained a national reputation and there was even a period when the KAK operated nationally.
National network
The Kringen Foundation has grown into a national network of groups of gay and bisexual men and lesbian women. The basic formula has remained the same all these years: monthly meetings, usually in one of the member’s living room, with fun activities and/or discussions on issues such as coming out or homosexuality and religion. Participants now also undertake joint activities outside their homes, such as an evening out, a walk or a visit to the cinema or theatre. Most prefer a Kring with only members of their own sex.
New participants are always first invited for an introductory meeting to mutually express ideas and expectations. The relationship of trust is also discussed in advance. Kringen are not therapy groups. The Kringleider (Circle Leader) is offered training from the national network to fulfil this role.
However, a Kring is not just a monthly realization of being gay or lesbian for an evening. A Kring group often develops into a close group of friends. Kring groups are diverse. There are theme Kringen, activity Kringen, cultural and film Kringen, etcetera.
Even though making contact is now easier with apps and the internet, there is still a need for Kringen. In the early 1960s, 39 contact groups were created, in 2023 there are 97 Kringen, of which 15 are in Utrecht, and new Kringen are regularly added.
Coen Mobach
Sources
Neijndorff, De geschiedenis van en ervaringen met een homo-organisatie. Landelijk Verband van kringen voor homoseksuele mannen en vrouwen (Den Haag 1995).
Posthumus, Kringen in de branding. 40 jaar homo/lesbische emancipatiebeweging (Gorinchem 2004)
https://withpride.ihlia.nl/story/pastorale-zorg/
Archive of De Kringen compiled by Ton van Dongen.
Personal memories of Coen Mobach, Robbert Egthuizen, Chris van Wijk and Marleen Jansen.