Amsterdam Rainbow Dress coming to Washington
(Washington, D.C.) – The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress will arrive in Washington, D.C. on May 15, two days before the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), for a photo shoot and press moment on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress is a 52-foot-tall work of art made from the flags of the 68 countries where being LGBTIQ+ is punishable by law. It also includes the flags of eight countries in which homosexual acts can result in the death penalty. The bodice of the dress is made from the Amsterdam city flag.
The dress is a living piece of art. As a nation changes its laws in favor of the LGBTIQ+ community, that nation’s flag is replaced with a rainbow flag on the dress. Created in Amsterdam, the dress was first displayed during Europride Amsterdam 2016. Since then, the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress has traveled around the world to call attention to the fight for equality, inclusiveness, and tolerance. The Netherlands is a strong advocate for LGBTIQ+ rights and in 2001 became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage.
The dress has been worn by models from the LGBTIQ+ community in various countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, Mozambique, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan. In 2022, the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress traveled to all inhabited continents. In the US, the dress has been displayed in New York City and San Francisco.
In Washington, the dress will be worn by Makia Green, an LGBTIQ+ and civil rights activist, as well as Vagenesis, a prominent community drag performer and LGBTIQ+ activist.
During the press moment, media are invited to photograph and/or videotape the photo shoot and interview: Dutch Ambassador André Haspels, Arnout van Krimpen, founder of the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress Foundation, and Ryan Bos, the Executive Director of The Capital Pride Alliance. Later in the day, the professional photographs of the dress will be available for media to download from: Netherlands Embassy | Flickr.
Media should register to cover the event by sending their name and outlet to was-ppc@minbuza.nl by 12 p.m. on May 13.