Amersfoort – June 2, 2025 – As Pride Month 2025 kicks off, the celebratory parades and vibrant festivities are increasingly underpinned by a more urgent message: protest. For Julie Hemels-Hoff, CEO & Founder of Blueyse, an inclusive agency, this duality is at the heart of Pride’s evolving significance.
What does Pride Month mean to you personally, and how has your understanding of it evolved over time?
“Pride Month, for me as a queer woman, has always been about two things: being proud of who you are, and also protest. And lately, it feels more and more like protest. I think that shift really started for me around three years ago. Human rights for LGBTQIA+ people aren’t improving—in fact, they’re being rolled back, especially for trans people.
Of course, I still love celebrating. I go to the Pride parade and to Milkshake every year, but it’s becoming just as important to use that time, and really the whole year, to speak up and stand up for our basic human rights. It’s not just a party.”
As the CEO of an inclusive agency, how do you see Blueyse’s role throughout the year in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community?
“For me, it’s important that we stand up for LGBTQIA+ rights all year and not just in June. And I think businesses have a big role to play in that, both for their own people and for the communities they’re part of.
Blueyse is a queer-owned agency, so representation of LGBTQIA+ voices plays an essential part in our team. We also make space for community representation in our own campaigns and in the work we do for clients. Our aim is to realize equitable and meaningful representation in all communications and marketing efforts.”
What was a pivotal moment, either from your career or your personal life, that deepened your commitment to inclusion and equity?
“The pivotal moment for me was when I started dating my then-girlfriend—now my wife. I had to face my own internalized homophobia, and at the same time, I started to notice how often homophobia shows up in small ways, like in jokes, in comments. I also began hearing stories from friends about the violence they had faced. That’s really when I started digging deeper into inclusion and understanding how necessary it is. It was the moment when I was confronted with my privilege.”
What do you think companies get wrong about Pride? How does Blueyse plan to do it differently?
“It’s become clearer each year that companies tend to only highlight the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride. Changing their logo into the pride flag, raising the rainbow flag, or putting Pride-themed products on the shelves, occasionally even making these more expensive. Pure pinkwashing.
I believe companies should start their journey internally before communicating anything externally. Ask: is your workplace actually safe for LGBTQIA+ people? Is there a shared understanding of why inclusion matters? Do we actually have an internal queer community who feels safe and supported? That’s where we begin. Only then, start thinking about your external marketing and communications. Only then is your message authentic.”
Inclusion is more than a statement. It’s a daily practice. What are some of the ways you personally try to model inclusive leadership as a queer woman?
“It may sound cliche, but I believe that staying curious, keeping an open mind, and approaching life from a place of love is key. Especially as a young queer entrepreneur, I try to show up and represent, but to also know when to step back and leave space for others.”
Finally, what gives you hope right now when it comes to LGBTQIA+ rights and visibility globally or right here at home in the Netherlands?
“I hope that we can act more from a place of love and respect. We don’t all need to dance together at the Pride parties, but we do need to treat each other with respect. That also means standing up for the basic human rights of your peers, colleagues, and communities worldwide. I hope that we can break the silence. I hope that we will stop being bystanders. I hope that everyone can live in a place where they feel safe. That we all live in a place where we dare to realize dreams.“