29 Jul

18:30

The American Book Center

12 Spui, Amsterdam

Join author Monique Doppert for a double book presentation of 'Amsterdam, A Queer History' and 'Lezz is More', with guest speakers Henk de Vries and Richard Keldoulis.

Amsterdam, A Queer History and Lezz is More

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Author Monique Doppert presents her books Amsterdam, A Queer History and Lezz is More. She will be joined by Henk de Vries, who will talk about his Amsterdam city tours highlighting 400 years of gay history, and by Richard Keldoulis, a.k.a. Jennifer Hopelezz, the subject of Lezz is More. A trailer for the documentary Paris is Burning will also be shown.

About the Books

Amsterdam, a Queer History

Amsterdam has a worldwide reputation as a symbol of tolerance and freedom. In the nineties, Amsterdam was even known as the Gay Capital of the World, but that reputation was not earned without a struggle. Amsterdam, a Queer History tells the story of homosexual men and women in the Dutch capital, from clandestine homosexual practices in bars and backstreets at the start of the twentieth century, through the initial stages of gay emancipation, to the flourishing and provocative subculture of the seventies onwards and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2001. Monique Doppert puts all these developments in a clear historical context, focusing on areas where Amsterdam’s rainbow community is most visible: culture, activism, emancipation, the hospitality industry, and the nightlife scene. This lets her show how the city and its queer community have molded and remolded each other over time.

Lezz is More: A Biography of Queer Art & Activism

Since 1990, Richard Keldoulis has grown into the role of Jennifer Hopelezz, shaping Amsterdam’s queer scene with glitter and activism. In Lezz Is More, Monique Doppert reveals how Richard wields drag not just as spectacle, but as a sophisticated political instrument. As the architect of three thriving Amsterdam businesses, he pivoted after his 'Night Mayor' defeat to turn the stage into a bridge between discrimination, hate, violence, and the queer community. In a city that claims tolerance, Richard proves survival demands action. This innovative 'book-a-zine' blends biography with visual power, showing how the raw force of drag - its theater, humor and an unapologetic attitude - can silence a room faster than policy ever could.

About the Speakers

Monique Doppert is an author and former journalist. With a decade of experience in coordinating digital media initiatives for the international organization Hivos, she blends geopolitical insight with historical research. A former journalist for major national outlets, she specializes in uncovering marginalized narratives, from digital resistance in Syria to the roots of queer identity.

Henk de Vries founded the weekly LGBT History Tour in 2016. The project grew out of the books he read as a young teenager — already aware he was gay, yet still in the closet — searching for reflections of himself and a sense of belonging. Through the LGBT History Tour and his storytelling of queer history and topics, Henk seeks to give that history back to the community.

Richard Keldoulis (Sydney, 1963) is a catering entrepreneur and gay activist, who has lived in the Netherlands since 1990. He co-owns gay discotheque Club Church and sauna NZ in Amsterdam. As a drag queen, Keldoulis is known as Jennifer Hopelezz.