André van Wanrooij, Dunas Map "Man of the Month" for March 2026

He is certainly one of the most dedicated gay activists in Maspalomas, yet he remains very discreet, and few people have had the chance to meet him in person. Originally from the Netherlands, this committed 57-year-old man has led the GLAY association for many years, taking part in numerous local causes and initiatives. André van Wanrooij is the Dunas Map 'Man of the Month' for March 2026.

· Hello André, could you introduce yourself as fully as possible ? What are the main things we should know about you ? Why and when did you choose Gran Canaria as your home ?

- My name is André van Wanrooij, I’m Dutch, 57 years young, and I have studied international and European law at Tilburg University.

After several years of living on the island during the winter, I became a full resident in 2015. The reason for moving to Gran Canaria was logical after the years of spending the winters here.

· Tell us about your professional activity: What is your background ? What is your background out of the island and on the island ?

- In the Netherlands, I started as a homeless youngster; my parents did not accept my sexual orientation, and with ups and downs, I’ve worked myself up, ending with being an entrepreneur and a political- and gay-rights activist. While on the island, I have worked as a spokesperson and adviser for a political party in the Netherlands.

 · You are well-known as a gay activist in Maspalomas, mainly as the president of GLAY, the association that gave birth to the Maspalomas Gay Pride but also supports many other projects in the community. Can you tell us more about it ?

- I do have had and have the honour of being president of the association, and I was president of ¹GLAY during the last Pride editions organised by it’s founder, GLAY. There is quite some history on GLAY and too much to elaborate extensively about. But in a nutshell, GLAY was founded in 2001 by several LGBT+ entrepreneurs together with Dario Jaen² and Claudio Falcon. These founders also founded the Gay Pride Maspalomas event in May. GLAY celebrates this year its 25th anniversary, and 2026 is, with that, also the year of 25 years of Pride-events in Maspalomas.

²Darío Jaén, precursor and initiator of gay tourism in Maspalomas

Of course, the founding and the 15 times organising of Gaypride Maspalomas are the biggest achievement of the association. The GLAY volunteers initiated and started this event from scratch and were, with the help from the Ayuntamiento de San Bartolome de Tirajana, able to make it one of the biggest and most successful events in Maspalomas and the Canary Islands.

Smaller, but certainly just as important, achievements were GLAY’s social events like "The GLAY Awards", "The Doggy Show" and "World AIDS Day-events". Currently GLAY focuses on our social projects like Help&Assist and E.E.A. (Education, Emancipation and Acceptation).

For me personally, I consider my involvement with achieving the right to get married for same-sex couples in the Netherlands and its overseas territories, together with the ascertainment of parenting rights for same-sex couples in the Netherlands, one of the big personal achievements.

· Do you think it is still important to be a gay activist today ? What are the current challenges for the gay community in Maspalomas and Gran Canaria ?

Yes, I do, although the goalposts have moved quite a lot during the last 25 years. There are a lot of challenges ahead for the LGBT+ community in Maspalomas and beyond. Our worldwide community needs, in my personal opinion, more debate and insights on several issues and topics such as gender identity and biological sex, the so-called ‘cotton ceiling’, polygamous relationships, and the influence of islamization, and other religious beliefs on our society and what that could mean for the LGBT+ community.

For the LGBT+ community in Maspalomas there is a specific challenge, as our community resides in a very special environment where LGBT+ tourism has created a safe haven for our community, which shows in the percentage of residents that identify as LGBT+. In order to maintain this unique societal environment, our community needs to be innovative, investing and supportive of the continuation of Maspalomas as the nº 1 LGBT+ holiday destination. For many it’s their livelihood, but for all it brings and maintains their societal safe haven.

· Glay has published a recent post³ on their blog about the Maspalomas Pride by Freedom with the title “A Turning Point We Must Shape Together” and “Let’s Bring Pride Back to the People” as a motto. Could you tell us more about your vision of the Maspalomas Pride today ? What is not going well, and what must be changed ?

GLAY’s article expresses concern about how Maspalomas Pride is evolving and calls for a constructive dialogue about its future. The focus is on ensuring that Pride remains closely connected to the local LGBTQ+ community, the Yumbo Center, and the businesses and people who have supported the event for many years.

As the founding organization of Maspalomas Pride, GLAY highlights its long-standing experience and its willingness to contribute positively, especially with the 25th anniversary in 2026. The intention is not to look back but to work together on a Pride that balances growth with inclusion, community participation, and shared values.

The message is an invitation to collaborate so that Pride continues to reflect the diversity, identity, and spirit of the community it represents.

³Maspalomas Pride 2026 – A Turning Point We Must Shape Together

· What are your favorite places or events in Maspalomas ? Where do you like to go out ? What do you do for leisure or hobbies ?

I love the many good and nice restaurants we have. As someone who likes eating all kinds of flavour, the presence of so many high-quality places to eat is more than perfect. But to highlight one of my favourites simply because of the astonishing view: Balcon de San Augustin.

I have to be honest that while getting older I’m less an event-visitor than I used to be. Standing in the middle of big crowds isn’t my cup of tea anymore. But I do visit many of the events at the sideline so I can get a good impression on what the organisers have done for a remarkable job. And Maspalomas has many good event-organisers. Winterpride reminds me of the old GLAY May-prides with artists and performers for all within the LGBT+ community, young and older. Fetish Week and Bear Carnival are very popular with these groups of our community and very well organised. May-Pride by Freedom, as well as Freedom Festival is, in my opinion, more aimed at the young, loud-beat-raving music lovers and give them a good time.

And now, some personal favorites...

· What is the most beautiful trip you've ever been on ?

> Egypt, Austria, South-Africa, Norway, Dutch Caribbean and of course the Canary Islands.

· Which is the type of music you like to listen to ?

> Pop, Folk and occasionally Classical.

 · The kind of movies you like ?

> I’m a big fan of Sci-Fi movies and series.

· Which are the artists you follow ?

> Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Shirley Bassey, Queen.

· Some personalities who inspire you ?

> Winston Churchill, Pim Fortuyn, the young Juan Carlos.

· Some books to recommend if you like to read.

> The Prince, 1984, The Republic, Leviathan, as essentials. For relaxing I like John Grisham’s work.

¹More info about GLAY :

Founded in 2001, GLAY represents the longest-running and most successful democratically constituted organisation of its kind, bringing together various institutions, government representatives, business owners, campaigners, activists, local people and foreign residents from around the world and across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. As founders and initiators of Maspalomas PRIDE Gran Canaria, their legacy is important and resonant to this day. They have organised various events over the last two decades, including the GLAY Awards and the GLAY Doggie show, as well as remembrance ceremonies and fundraising activities for causes with which they collaborate, such as ACES (Amigos Contra El Sida), with whom they have some shared foundations.

All in all they aim to promote community-positive attitudes, cooperation and good information, whatever your orientation. The Yumbo centre in Playa del Inglés is their home base, and they just love Gran Canaria.

Follow André and GLAY on social media :

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