In addition to being chairperson since the organisation was founded, I am mainly involved in executive tasks such as giving workshops and establishing and maintaining contacts with local authorities and local sports companies and associations. I regularly visit various networks within the national government, where I give lectures on topics such as LGBT in sport.

We can see that the JBF has already brought about significant change. One example of this is the campaign in Dutch sport with the rainbow captain's armband. From the youngest youngsters on the pitch to professional footballers, everyone wants to participate. That is my motivation! Of course, I hope that in a few years' time, our work will no longer be necessary. That it will no longer matter who or what you are, but that enjoying sport and being yourself within it will naturally take precedence.

My motivation began with my brother John. His goal was to create a safe environment within sport where it is possible to be yourself and, if you choose, to come out. This is also the goal I am pursuing. My enthusiasm is fuelled every day by the steps we have taken and continue to take.

In 2003, my brother John received the Bob Angelo medal from COC Netherlands.
This is a very important award. So it came as a huge surprise when, at the beginning of 2018, I was also presented with the Bob Angelo medal. It is unique in the history of this award that a brother and sister have won it. The Bob Angelo medal is not only an award for me, but for the entire JBF team of volunteers. Without their support and enormous dedication, we would never have come this far. We are always open to enthusiastic volunteers and ambassadors who want to help us. I am very proud of myself and of what we have achieved together.

In my role as secretary, I ensure that the JBF and the board can function properly by keeping track of activities and ensuring that the agreements we make are properly recorded and fulfilled at the right time. I am committed to further professionalising the JBF. This is necessary because, due to the growth in recent years, it is essential that the internal organisation of the JBF grows along with it.

I believe it is important that everyone can do what they want to do. This also applies to sport, without exception! A world in which everyone can participate as an athlete, spectator, fan, coach, referee or in any other role, regardless of their sexual preference, gender expression or gender identity, is a better world. I would like to contribute to this.

All colours matter. All people matter. This is what I stand for and what I am committed to. I embrace diversity. Different people with different backgrounds, expressions and opinions make us stronger. We must cherish these differences and learn from them. With respect for everyone who wants to contribute to a more inclusive sporting world, we can improve together. Create a better society.

For example, I was secretary of Youth Affairs at the Dubbel Zes Korfball Club (The Hague) and played korfball there for many years. I was also board secretary at BuurtBoerderij De Nijkamphoeve (The Hague) and secretary of the first gay supporters' club in the Netherlands, the Roze Règâhs.

From January 2019, I was involved as secretary in the establishment of the Pink Football Fan Clubs Foundation (RVFC). Before it was unfortunately forced to cease its activities, the RVFC was active within the Alliantie Gelijkspelen 4.0 (Fair Play Alliance 4.0). One of the RVFC's missions was to ban chanting and promote national LGBTI acceptance by supporters and, if desired, to help LGBTI supporters set up their own pink supporters' clubs or sections. It is unacceptable that you cannot be yourself in the stands, on the sports field, at work or elsewhere.

During my work as secretary of the RVFC, I joined as secretary at the request of the Alliantie Gelijkspelen 4.0 partners. After the RVFC was dissolved and I ceased my work there, I was asked by the John Blankenstein Foundation to join as a volunteer. I was honoured to be asked and to be able to continue my work and, beyond that, to have even more to do! By that I mean the JBF's broad commitment to a safe(r) sporting environment.

The JBF is now a partner in the Alliantie Gelijkspelen 5.0 (Fair Play Alliance 5.0) and has transferred its secretarial duties to the NOC*NSF. This means that my role as secretary for both the Alliantie Gelijkspelen and the JBF has come to an end. I am the B in LGBTI, but this has never caused me any problems. On the contrary, I have always been accepted. I am certainly familiar with other forms of discrimination. I want to do something about the injustice done to people, in whatever form. In 2010, however, I became unable to work as a result of an invisible disability and experienced exclusion. This is something that many people in the LGBTI community also experience.

From 2024 onwards, I will be responsible for the JBF secretariat and will also work as an administrative assistant. I can perform this task satisfactorily from home. The role of secretary, which requires greater flexibility and a presence throughout the country where necessary, will once again be filled by Lou Manders. This brings us full circle. This change in position will allow me to devote myself fully to promoting a sporting and inclusive sporting climate.

In my view, the sporting world is one of the last areas in the Netherlands where homosexuality is still somewhat taboo. I want to contribute to the JBF so that we can change that.

My goal is for everyone to enjoy sport and keep doing it. I stopped playing football when I was 16. I still liked the sport, but I felt isolated because I couldn't chat with my teammates about girls and relationships. I recognised myself in the story of former professional footballer Wensley Garden, who played for Helmond Sport, among others. That's how I came into contact with the John Blankenstein Foundation. Through the work we do, I hope that team sports will remain accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of sexual preference.

When it comes to sexual diversity, the role of heterosexuals is sometimes overlooked. It is precisely the majority, who conform to the norm we apply in our society, who play an important role. This is also the case in your own club or association. I always greatly appreciate initiatives from these groups (people who dare to stick their necks out in our heteronormative society). They have a big impact.

In my view, it should no longer be the case that people give up their sport because of their sexual orientation.

Tennis is my sport, and in the 35 years that I have been playing, I have been fortunate to always be able to be myself in a safe environment. It feels good to be able to express myself as I wish, to love whom I wish, and to be who I am. I realise that this is not the case for everyone, which is why I joined the John Blankenstein Foundation as a general board member in 2023. In this role, I will be involved in sponsorship and fundraising, among other things. It is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to a more inclusive sporting world. Because that is what I want for every athlete.

Engaging in dialogue with each other to create a safe sporting environment for everyone is what I consider important. Seeking common ground and points that connect us. But I also do not shy away from discussing differences, perspectives, and diverse backgrounds. Because we do not always have to agree with each other. If we are willing to listen to each other, approach each other's points of view with respect and gain understanding for each other, that is also valuable. All these things contribute to a safer sporting environment. For you, for me: for everyone!

I have fond memories of John. In our younger years, we, the Blankenstein and Van der Kroft families, were neighbours. As a result, I witnessed the start of John's refereeing career up close. He was an example to many in the football world, a top referee and gay. So what! I take my hat off to his sister Karin who, together with others, has made the foundation an important player in the world of sport (and beyond).

Sport always played a prominent role in our home. I have passed on that enthusiasm for sport to my children. I started playing handball myself and now I really enjoy playing padel.

With my background as an independent trainer/coach/facilitator in the field of soft skills, I am keen to contribute to the further professionalisation of the workshops organised by the JBF.

I believe in dialogue. It connects people and contributes to mutual understanding, solidarity and insight. Volunteers and experts are crucial to promoting the vision and mission of the JBF. I am committed to working with them to make inclusivity the norm in the world of sport.

In my opinion, sport is still a difficult environment to come out in. I have experienced this first-hand. In addition, many people think that inclusion is not an issue at their club. There is still a lot of work to be done to raise awareness of this among clubs. As a volunteer at the JBF, I believe it is important to use my professional sports expertise to help groups of people who are often encountering the themes of LGBT and inclusion for the first time. The workshops often lead to interesting discussions and new insights among the participants. All of this gives me satisfaction and energy.

Korfball has played an important role in my life and continues to do so. From the age of 6^de Although I am devoted to this sport, I am also interested in other sports. My career as a professional athlete has provided me with many opportunities and wonderful experiences, which have significantly contributed to shaping who I am today.

For me, sport is the most important side issue in life. How wonderful it would be if everyone could always feel completely at home in sport, wherever they are. Then sport would truly bring people together and make the world a little bit better. I am very happy to dedicate myself to this cause.

My main goal in providing this information is to ensure that no one is excluded. I want to show that if someone can be themselves, they can also be a top athlete. I am convinced that this will allow people to realise their full potential.

In my daily life, I work for the police. I also work for the KNVB as a masterclass assistant referee in the Keuken Kampioen Division and I am also an assistant video referee in the Eredivisie.

In my work as an agent and referee, I am open about my sexuality. I have noticed that because I talk about it openly and honestly, it becomes easier to discuss. I am often asked to attend discussions and/or meetings on the subject of LGBT. I participate in these to inspire others with my story and to support others if necessary.

I am homosexual and have been active in amateur sports for a long time. In my early years as a footballer and later as a table tennis player. Even though table tennis is not the most macho sport, it was a very difficult process for me to come out. I encountered prejudice and comments from fellow athletes and trainers. Of all the environments in which I came out, I delayed coming out in the changing room the longest. For a long time now, I have been giving presentations at secondary schools to make this topic discussable. However, my heart and passion lie more in sport, which is why I am happy to act as a workshop leader for the JBF. With my own experiences in sport, I know how to ask the right questions, stimulate members of sports clubs and get people thinking. I do this across all sports and for administrators, young athletes, and associations. I hope to be able to contribute to an even safer and more inclusive sporting environment for your sports club as well!

I believe it is important to contribute to society. In my heart, I want everyone to participate and have truly equal opportunities. This is reflected in my work as a Work & Income policy officer for local authorities, where I strive to give everyone an equal opportunity to work so that they can participate in society. I also want to continue this outside of my work.

I am homosexual myself and have a strong affinity with sport. The John Blankenstein Foundation is therefore a perfect fit for me. I have a season ticket for a Dutch professional football club and have noticed that acceptance of different sexual orientations in football is often a difficult issue. The JBF wants to break through this barrier, and I am happy to help. At the moment, I am not involved in a sports club. This has nothing to do with my sexuality, but mainly with my busy life and the fact that running and cycling outdoors in nature suit me better at the moment.

Through my master's degree in Sports Policy and Sports Management and in my work as a CrossFit coach, I am committed to the inclusion of LGBTI+ athletes on various levels. The work of the JBF is therefore of great value in this process, also for me personally. In the future, I want to delve deeper into gender diversity and do more to promote it. I really enjoy being part of the John Blankenstein Foundation.

I am non-binary. In short, this means that I personally do not identify as male or female. As you can see, the appropriate pronouns are listed after my name. This means that I currently use ‘they’ and ‘them’ when someone refers to me, instead of 'she/her' or 'he/him', for example.

To share my knowledge and enthusiasm about this topic, I joined the John Blankenstein Foundation. I strongly believe in sharing personal stories and sometimes explaining them using theories. I think it is very important to create understanding and awareness. It gives me energy to organise workshops in which participants discuss topics that are normally rarely or never talked about.

Wushu is a sport that means a lot to me. It is a Chinese martial art, which you may recognise from the film Kung Fu Panda and Marvel's Shang-Chi. At competition level, it is all about the movements and techniques you demonstrate to the judges.

I have been practising this sport since I was twelve. Six years later, in 2014, I qualified for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. There, I received a bronze medal on behalf of the Netherlands.

I joined the John Blankenstein Foundation because I want to contribute to a safe sporting environment where you can be yourself. During the workshops, I enjoy seeing people become more and more comfortable within their own group. My brother once compared me to a gardener because I like to get people to think about themselves; he called it planting seeds. That's what we do during the workshops: we plant seeds in the hope that they will blossom into beautiful, unique flowers.

Sport does not look at sexual orientation, origin, gender, dreams and desires, but at a person's skills. And everyone should be able to develop those skills to the best of their ability, without being hindered by their sexual orientation, origin, gender, dreams and desires. This requires an open and safe environment, where everyone can be themselves without judgement.

And that's also why I enjoy playing rugby so much. Come as you are, you're welcome at rugby and there's a place on the field for everyone. As long as you're willing to tackle (and okay, occasionally being tackled is acceptable to you). I am the proud captain of the only LGBTQIA+ team in the Netherlands, the Amsterdam Lowlanders, and I play as number 8.

In September 2021, I started volunteering at the John Blankenstein Foundation because, on the one hand, I want to contribute to everyone's safe sporting development and, on the other hand, I want to promote the values of rugby (respect, discipline and camaraderie) widely. Many sports could learn a thing or two from this.

To make every sport accessible to everyone, I volunteer at the John Blankenstein Foundation. I believe it is important that everyone feels welcome at a club, can be themselves, and has a role model. Representation is therefore very important.

To make this possible, I give workshops through the John Blankenstein Foundation to encourage dialogue within (sports) clubs. Making the subject discussable and thereby promoting understanding for each other's point of view is an essential step in this process. Respect for one another is therefore central to these workshops.