Queer Books

Do you love books, or have you been wanting to get into reading more? Then this might just be the event for you! At this book swap everyone brings one or a few books they no longer need. We put them all out on the table and from there it's up to you, see if something catches your eye and take home whatever you'd like to read next. Any language is welcome, so bring whatever is sitting on your shelf! At the end of the evening you can take back the books you brought that weren't picked up, or leave them with the organiser who will donate them to a local secondhand shop. This event is organised on a weekday evening as a nice little break in the middle of the week to meet fellow book lovers over a good drink. **Bonus for the walkers 🚶‍♀️** After the event the organiser will walk back to Utrecht Centraal for anyone who wants to join. It's a relaxed 25 to 30 minute walk alongside the water for some extra movement and a calm way to end the evening. ⚠️ If you're unsure whether you can make it, please free up your spot for someone else.

Fronteers is 8 april te gast bij [Abra](https://abra.nl) in Utrecht. Met twee Nederlandstalige presentaties, avondeten vooraf en een borrel na. De meetup vind plaats in The Hub van de Jaarbeurs Innovation Mile, naast Utrecht Centraal. *This meetup will be in Dutch.* **Programma** * 18:00 inloop met avondeten * 18:50 introductie Fronteers en Abra * 19:00 The forever quest for accessibility awareness door Darice de Cuba * 19:45 korte pauze * 20:00 Bruggen bouwen in de wereld van toegankelijkheid door Jan Jaap de Groot en Mike Slinkman * 20:45 borrel * 21:30 einde **Avondeten** Om voedselverspilling te voorkomen, geef tijdig door dat je de meetup bijwoont. Je kunt allergie- en dieetinformatie doormailen: *arjan AT fronteers.nl* **Presentatie: The forever quest for accessibility awareness** *Spreker: Darice de Cuba* De presentatie is in het Nederlands. **Presentatie: Bruggen bouwen in de wereld van toegankelijkheid** *Sprekers: Jan Jaap de Groot / Mike Slinkman* Snappen hoe de "accessibility bridge" werkt is essentieel voor het bouwen van applicaties die daadwerkelijk toegankelijk zijn. In deze sessie leer je: \- Hoe de toegankelijkheidsbruggen werken bij webbrowsers\, native apps en cross\-platform apps \- Waarom dezelfde code zich anders gedraagt op Android en iOS \- Veelvoorkomende valkuilen waarbij overbrugging mislukt of onverwacht gedrag vertoond **Over Darice de Cuba** Darice werkt als web developer bij een onderwijs onafhankelijk nieuws platform. Daarnaast houd ze zich graag bezig met inclusie en toegankelijkheid door het schrijven van blogs en geven van presentaties. Darice is al 18 jaar laat-doof. De combinatie van haar skills als web developer en ervaringsdeskundigheid als o.a. (laat) doof persoon geeft haar een uniek inzicht in inclusive design. Daarnaast houd ze zich ook serieus bezig met straatfotografie en houd ze ook een persoonlijk food guide van Den Haag bij. 🖥 https://www.darice.org/ 🍕 https://www.thehaguefoodguide.com/ 🐘 https://mastodon.social/@Darice 📷 https://www.instagram.com/darice/ **Over Jan Jaap de Groot** Jan Jaap ontwikkelt al ruim 10 jaar (toegankelijke) apps. Sinds 2018 heeft hij zich gespecialiseerd in het toegankelijk maken van apps door ondersteuning in te bouwen voor diverse toegankelijkheidsfuncties. Hij leidt de W3C Mobile Accessibility Task Force, is voorzitter van de Stichting Appt en medeoprichter van Abra, waar hij software ontwikkelt om automatisch toegankelijkheidsfouten in apps te detecteren. **Over Mike Slinkman** Mike ontwikkelt al meer dan 5 jaar (toegankelijke) apps. Sinds 2023 werkt Mike bij Abra, waar hij zich heeft gespecialiseerd in het toegankelijk maken van apps. Naast het ontwikkelen van apps, ontwikkeld Mike ook toegankelijke websites, en adviseert hij bedrijven op het gebied van toegankelijkheid. **Routebeschrijving** Het adres van de locatie is [Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521 AL Utrecht](https://048-abra.trakqit.com/?u=f0fb0a9ca164a636076e51c54&e=a99d876d68ba6747b5bc3dbb529248a4). De naam van de locatie is 'The Hub', onderdeel van de Jaarbeurs Innovation Mile (JIM). Deze bevind zich op de 6e verdieping van het Beatrix theater. We raden aan om met het openbaar vervoer naar Utrecht Centraal te komen. Het is slechts [2 minuten lopen](https://048-abra.trakqit.com/?u=f0fb0a9ca164a636076e51c54&e=a99d876d68ba6747b5bc3dbb529248a4) vanaf het station naar de locatie. Route vanaf Utrecht Centraal: 1. Loop naar de uitgang aan de Jaarbeurs-zijde. 2. Neem de lift, roltrap of trap naar beneden. 3. Loop rechtdoor tot je links de hoek om kunt (bij restaurant Pleyn). 4. Loop nog een klein stukje rechtdoor tot de draaideuren met de tekst 'Beatrixgebouw'. 5. Ga door de draaideuren naar binnen. Bij binnenkomst kun je links of rechts de lift nemen naar de 6e verdieping. 6. Loop vervolgens rechtdoor de lift uit naar het midden van de ruimte. Daar zie je de ingang van de JIM. Hier zal een van ons de deur voor je open doen :) 7. Op de vloer staan gele stippen, volg deze naar The Hub, waar de borrel plaatsvindt. Er is een lift en er zijn geen drempels. Rolstoeltoegankelijke toileten zijn helaas op een andere verdieping. Voor alle informatie en parkeerinformatie: [https://www.jaarbeurs.nl/en/bereikbaarheid/toegankelijkheid](https://www.jaarbeurs.nl/en/bereikbaarheid/toegankelijkheid)

It's time for a new Dutch PowerShell User Group in-person edition. This continues our community events, bringing people together around DevOps, PowerShell scripting, and automation in the Netherlands. Hosted at Rubicon in Leusden, the evening will be a chance not only to learn but also to reconnect with fellow community members. **Speakers** As part of this restart, we have opened a [Call for Papers](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) to give both new and experienced speakers the opportunity to contribute. The full program will be announced soon. **Agenda** The event will take place on the 8th of April, 2026. All times are listed in CET. * 17:30 – 18:00 Arrival * 18:00 – 18:45 Dinner * 18:45 – 19:00 Welcome from Rubicon / Organizers * 19:00 – 19:45 First Session * 19:45 – 20:15 Break * 20:15 – 21:00 Second Session * 21:00 – 21:30 Networking **Speaker Information** With the restart of DuPSUG, we are opening the stage for both familiar names and new voices. The [CFP](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) is currently live, and speakers will be announced shortly. **Sessions** As we restart our events, sessions will continue to focus on advanced topics in automation, scripting, and DevOps. ### 1\. Keep secrets away from AI Assistants: Secure Secrets Management with PowerShell \- Jev Suchoi *More often than not, today’s engineering happens inside AI-assisted development environments (IDE's). While this boosts productivity, it also introduces a new risk: secrets leaking into prompts, suggestions, logs, or chat history. This session shows how to set up a local engineering environment using PowerShell so secrets never end up in code, source control, or an IDE’s AI assistant.* *The session starts with pragmatic local engineering patterns: separating configuration from code, structuring local secret files, and using .gitignore correctly to prevent accidental exposure. From there, it moves to a secure-by-default approach using the PowerShell SecretManagement and SecretStore modules. Encrypted vault registration, safe unlocking, and runtime secret consumption are covered without leaking sensitive values into scripts, terminals, AI prompts or sharing them with AI Assistants lurking in your development environment.* *As a demo, secure authentication to Azure and Azure DevOps is demonstrated using PowerShell without exposing credentials to environment variables, clipboard history, or AI tooling. The focus remains on habits and patterns that scale from solo engineers to professional engineering teams.* ### 2\. Modern Powershell module development \- Marko Stanojevic *Demonstrate powershell module template with built in versioning, labeling, CI/CD, devcontainer, VS code settings, built in tasks, Github Copilot and agents instructions, pull request labeling and release notes automatic generation.* *[https://github.com/WarehouseFinds/PSScriptModule](https://github.com/WarehouseFinds/PSScriptModule)* **Location** We are in-person at: Rubicon Leusderend 36 3832 RC Leusden Participation is free, and you are encouraged to attend in person. **Tickets** We kindly ask you to register your attendance through Meetup. Our events are made possible through sponsorship, and accurate attendance numbers help us secure continued support. Please make sure to register if you plan to attend, and update your RSVP if your plans change.

#This meetup is around a third-party organizer (Focus Filmtheater): you can either purchase your ticket online or right before the session# **Title**: A Family **Language**: Dutch **Subtitles**: English **Length**: 90 min **Director**: Mees Peijnenburg **More info**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/agenda/english-subs-a-family/ **Ticket link**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/tickets/143039/ **Synopsis**: An emotional family drama by Mees Peijnenburg (*Paradise Drifters*), about the impact of their parents’ divorce on two teenagers, seen from their own perspectives. With Carice van Houten. Fourteen-year-old Eli and sixteen-year-old Nina are both suffering from the breakdown of their parents’ once-loving marriage. In the custody battle, the siblings must express their wishes, fears, and feelings to a judge. While Nina wants to leave the family as quickly as possible, Eli longs for everything to return to the way it was. Their desires are miles apart. *A Family* is told in two chapters that follow the same three-week period: first from Nina’s perspective, then from Eli’s. These mirrored timelines show how the same moments can be experienced, felt, and understood in completely different ways. Eli and Nina retreat into their own worlds until they realize they are both searching for the same love, recognition, and comfort. The film had it’s world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February. The film was shown in the Generation 14plus program section, dedicated to films with mature themes that are also suitable for a teenage audience. **How it works**: I will be at Focus around 18:30, where we can meet before the movie starts. You can message me to find us. Screening starts at 19:00. After the movie, we can have a drink together. Hope to see you soon!

We'll be discussing 'Anne of Green Gables' by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. The book was first published in 1908. As described by The Canadian Encylopedia: *The first in a series of eight novels, Anne of Green Gables follows the adventures and misadventures of Anne Shirley, an intelligent, passionate and precocious orphan. At age 11, she is delivered from an orphanage to elderly siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who were expecting a boy to work on their farm, Green Gables, in rural Prince Edward Island. As she makes her bright passage from childhood into adolescence, Anne finds ample “scope for the imagination” at Green Gables, where she wins the hearts of Matthew and Marilla, and in Avonlea, where she wins the community’s affection.* There's a limited amount of attendants as to keep the conversation manageable. If you're on the waiting list and want to know whether you'll be able to make it in the end, please contact the host directly.

Hi all! 🙂 On Wednesdays we welcome you to practice languages! If you want to practice a specific (uncommon) language, please send us a message so we can find some conversation partners for you on our mailing list! We hope to see you in Café Marktzicht! In the last year we had tables for the following languages: * Dutch * English * French * Italian * Spanish * Turkish\* * German\* * Portuguese\* * Danish\* * Norwegian\* * Russian\* * Arabic\* * Chinese\*\* * Japanese\*\* * Indonesian\*\* * * Most likely, but not every week present. \*\* - Rather rare ;-) If your language is not in this list, please let us know! We have a large database of Language Cafe visitors speaking 56 different languages! We might be able to connect you with a person that does speak the language you want to practice. In case you are not in our database yet, please use this form: http://goo.gl/forms/oSCn9Dn8m8

'KAFKA ON THE SHORE' by Haruki Murakami 'The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Kafka on the Shore follows the fortunes of two remarkable characters. Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy. The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. Their parallel odysseys are enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerising dramas. Cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghostlike pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since WWII. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Murakami's new novel is at once a classic tale of quest, but it is also a bold exploration of mythic and contemporary taboos, of patricide, of mother-love, of sister-love. Above all it is an entertainment of a very high order.' ***Please read the book and join us for a lively discussion (in English) about the contents during our afternoon book club meeting.*** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **PLEASE NOTE:** This is an IN-PERSON event in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. Please cancel your attendance in advance if you are unable to join, so that those on the waitlist can participate. Looking forward to seeing you all IN REAL LIFE then! Best regards, Sandra

Stuck behind a desk all week? Time to climb some walls instead! No skills needed, just good vibes. Join us at **RijnBoulder (Arnhem)** for a fun and relaxed bouldering session! Whether you're a seasoned climber or wanna try it for the first time, everyone is welcome. We’ll meet outside at the entrance, warm up a bit, and then hit the walls. Afterward, there’s always the option to grab a drink and chat. * **Where:** [Bouldercentrum RijnBoulder, Olympus 3, 6832 EL Arnhem](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fPR4qg7wdRTJHcYU6). We will be waiting inside, in/near the café. * **Experience needed:** None! (Bring your own climbing shoes if you have them. Rentals are also available.) * **Vibe:** Casual, fun, supportive Let’s climb, laugh, and maybe even impress ourselves a little! For more information on pricing of day passes and gear rentals, [check out this page](https://mountain-network.nl/klimcentra/locaties/bouldercentrum-arnhem/tarieven-rijnboulder-2025/) on the RijnBoulder website. First time? No problem! [Some information here](https://mountain-network.nl/klimcentra/sporter/eerste-keer-boulderen/). Their website is only in Dutch, but Google Translate to the rescue: [prices](https://mountain--network-nl.translate.goog/klimcentra/locaties/bouldercentrum-arnhem/tarieven-rijnboulder-2025/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=nl&_x_tr_pto=wapp) and [instructions](https://mountain--network-nl.translate.goog/klimcentra/sporter/eerste-keer-boulderen/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=nl&_x_tr_pto=wapp). And if you have any questions, just let us know. ⚠️ Disclaimer: Participants are responsible for their own safety.

#This meetup is around a third-party organizer (Lux Nijmegen): you need to purchase your ticket online before # **Curious about the best short films of the moment? Go Short is back at LUX Nijmegen!** Since the festival schedule is huge, I picked out two blocks from the European Competition for the meetup. **Here is the plan:** * **19:15 – 20:45 \| Block 1: EU Comp 3** https://www.goshort.nl/en/festival-program/block?programId=2982&viewingId=5093 * **21:15 – 22:45 \| Block 2: EU Comp 4** https://www.goshort.nl/en/festival-program/block?programId=2983&viewingId=5102 Feel free to drop in for just one of the blocks, or stay for the double feature. **Ticket Info:** Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Be aware that the EU Competition blocks tend to be popular and might sell faster! If you want to join for both blocks, I highly recommend getting a **Day Ticket**. Otherwise, you can just book a single ticket for the specific block you want to see. **Tickets: https://www.goshort.nl/en/tickets** **Meeting point:** I will be at LUX right by the entrance, from 18:30 and during the break between the two screenings so we can meet before each block starts. **More info**: https://www.goshort.nl/en/go-short-festival-2026 Hope to see you soon!

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Join us for our April Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *[Stop Me if You've Heard This One](https://www.kristenarnettwriter.com/stopmeifyouveheardthisone)* by [Kristen Arnett](https://www.kristenarnettwriter.com/about) in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

Join us for our May Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *[Cantoras](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)*[ ](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)by [Caro de Robertis](https://caroderobertis.com/bio/) in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

This Month's Book: *On A Sunbeam* by Tillie Walden Join us for discussion at the Granville Public Library from 6 to 7pm. Follow us on Instagram: @granvillepridebookclub

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

**Our April novel is: *The Hong Kong Widow* by Kristen Loesch** **This month’s novel blends gothic atmosphere with historical fiction and chilling horror, set against the haunting backdrop of China. The book is 368 pages in print and 10 hours and 42 minutes on audiobook.** In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse. Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life. It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge. Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . .

* Second ever book club! April meet up. All are welcome. * The book will be Play Nice by Rachel Harrison (determined by votes from March Book Club. Let me know if you’d like a free digital copy of the book) * This event will be at the main library, meeting room 1B, the location will not be changed for this event due to the number of people attending, we will just add more chairs if needed! * Feel free to come whether or not you’ve started or finished the book ◡̈ * Small snacks will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Starting in June I will try to keep future book clubs at the Dublin Library. Now that I understand their reservation system, I will be on top of it with booking that location as soon as the date is released for the month. Thanks for your understanding with the varying locations in the meantime.