LGBTQ Members of the Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau (Orde van Oranje-Nassau) is a civilian and military national honour administered by the government of The Netherlands founded in 1892. Recipients are those individuals who are deemed to have provided exemplary service in their profession to society as a whole. There are several levels of recognition (in order of seniority): Member, Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer, and Knight Grand Cross.
The origins of the award arise from the House of Orange, the ruling royal family of The Netherlands.
As with any national civilian or military awards system, having LGBTQ (or any minority) recipients in the group confers the contributions and participation of the community in national life and prosperity. For the recipient, receipt of the award represents a validation of the individual's contribution to the diversity and advancement of the whole.
A good example of this occurred when the Order of Orange-Nassau was awarded to the team members of The Netherlands National Football (Soccer) Team when they won the 2017 European women's championship. Included among the recipients were lesbian players Vivianne Miedema, Sherida Spitse, and Danielle van de Donk.
We have identified the following individual recipients of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Simply click on their names to read their fascinating biographies.
- Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg
- Stephen Brady, Ambassador
- Boris Dittrich, politician
- Nico Engelschman, human rights activist and actor
- Henk Krol, politician
- Vivianne Miedema, football/soccer player
- Sherida Spitse, football/soccer player
- Herman Tjeenk Willink, Senator
- Rudi Van Dantzig, ballet dancer and choreographer
- Danielle van de Donk, football/soccer player
- Boris van der Ham, humanist and former politician
See Also
- Order of Canada
- Order of Australia
- New Zealand Order of Merit
- LGBTQ Recipients of the Order of Merit
- LGBTQ Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- LGBTQ Individuals Who Have Received France's Highest Honours
Further Reading/Research
