Pioneer gay Dutch MP Coos Huijsen dies at 87 after decades of activism
Former Dutch parliamentarian Coos Huijsen, recognized as the world’s first openly gay lawmaker, died aged 87 following a brief illness.
Coos Huijsen, the first parliamentarian worldwide to publicly declare his homosexuality, died on Monday at the age of 87 after a brief illness, his family confirmed. He served two short stints in the Tweede Kamer for the CHU and later as an independent, before joining the PvdA and focusing on LGBT advocacy. In 2016 he published Homo politicus, a memoir prompted by political scientist Andrew Reynolds, and received the Frans Banninck Cocq medal from Amsterdam mayor Eberhard van der Laan, followed by a knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Huijsen co-founded the Blauwe Fonds in 2007 to support LGBT initiatives and warned that acceptance was slipping, especially among younger, non-Western-background students. His career also spanned education, historical writing on the Dutch monarchy, and leadership of several homoworking groups. He leaves behind a legacy of pioneering visibility and continued activism.
Why it matters
His death marks the passing of a trailblazer who opened doors for LGBT representation in politics.
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