KPN Elevates Senior LGBTQIA+ Voices This Pride to Prove Queerness Is Here to Stay

KPN Elevates Senior LGBTQIA+ Voices This Pride to Prove Queerness Is Here to Stay

(IN BRIEF) KPN’s new Pride campaign spotlights the stories of senior LGBTQIA+ individuals to counter the notion that queerness is a trend, while highlighting the rise in online hate. Spearheaded by Chief People Officer Hilde Garssen, the initiative shares testimonies from campaigners like Marjet Bos (73), Gerard Robben (73), and Flip Strik (75), illustrating decades of struggle for visibility without the support of today’s digital networks. Concurrently, KPN equips Amsterdam Pride’s Canal Parade boats with IoT sensors for safety and tracking—continuing its role as official technology partner since a pioneering 360° camera boat in 2015. Within KPN, the Pride network promotes inclusive policies—rainbow-family maternity leave and transition leave—earning the Winq Workplace Award. Externally, KPN funds a Leiden University chair to advance research on workplace inclusion.

(PRESS RELEASE) ROTTERDAM, 1-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — KPN has unveiled a new online campaign this Pride season to underscore that queerness is far more than a passing trend. Amid increasing digital visibility of LGBTQIA+ identities, claims that queerness is merely a fad persist—and so does the harassment targeting the community online. To foster a #BetterInternet, KPN is amplifying the voices of older LGBTQIA+ individuals whose life stories remind us that being true to oneself transcends any social media moment.

“These trailblazers championed visibility and rights long before the advent of the internet, and they now witness the same battles unfolding online,” explains Hilde Garssen, KPN’s Chief People Officer and Executive Board member. “By sharing their journeys, we demonstrate that authenticity endures far beyond fleeting trends. As both an employer and a societal stakeholder, we stand for an internet where LGBTQIA+ people feel respected and secure.”

Among the featured storytellers is 73-year-old Marjet Bos, a lifelong advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. In her video testimony, she highlights the vital role of representation—“We have always been here, and we will always be here,” she affirms. Fellow participants Gerard Robben (73) and Flip Strik (75) reflect on growing up with no language or community to help them understand their identities—and no internet to connect them to others like themselves.

Amsterdam Pride
For the Canal Parade, KPN once again equips all pride boats with IoT sensors to maintain safe distances and enable precise tracking. As the official technology partner, KPN ensures the smooth operation of the Netherlands’ largest boat procession. Since 2015—when KPN’s empty 360°-camera boat allowed global audiences, including those in regions hostile to LGBTQIA+ rights, to celebrate Pride live—KPN’s innovations have enhanced accessibility and safety.

KPN Pride
Internally, KPN champions diversity and inclusion, cultivating a workplace where every employee can thrive. The KPN Pride network advocates for LGBTQIA+ staff, securing rainbow-family–inclusive maternity leave and transition-related leave. These efforts earned KPN the Winq Workplace Award for fostering a safe environment for all. Beyond its walls, KPN has funded an academic chair at Leiden University—its main sponsorship over five years fueling research on workplace inclusion.

Media Contact:

Gerd De Smyter
Spokesperson
gerd.desmyter@kpn.com
Tel: +31 70 4466300

SOURCE: KPN