Why is International Women's Day 2024 still necessary?
It is often said that, at least in the Netherlands, emancipation as a political project has been completed. International Women's Day calls attention to the fact that there are still many forms of gender inequality, both globally and in our country. For me, this day is also an opportunity to underline the importance of a collective feminist movement; especially in our neoliberal culture, where there is a lot of emphasis on individual power, it is important not to forget that.
In addition, 8th March is about international solidarity. That is an important theme - both in general (think of Gaza, for instance) and regarding global women's rights. Here, solidarity between different emancipation movements is also important, whereby I think, for example, of how trans rights and women's rights are currently being played off against each other.
For me, International Women's Day also means that my field of work - gender studies - is in the spotlights for a day. My department (Gender & Diversity) organises a lecture every year, where this year, Susanne Täuber, an expert on gender equality and social safety in academia, will present. This is obviously a hugely important topic for us.
Are there enough women in science and do they have the same opportunities as men? And what needs to happen for this to change?
No, and no. Diversity is increasing somewhat, but it is still very difficult. And don’t forget that even in fields where relatively many women work, sexism still takes place, so most prestige, for example, still goes mainly to men, with women experiencing many negative interactions. With this, we can see diversity and inclusion are not always the same thing.
It is often just about women versus men, but we need to think and talk in less binary terms
In discussions on equal representation, the focus is often mainly on “getting women through the door” through inclusive recruitment policies. This is certainly important, but what happens if those women then feel they are not actually welcome? It's not just that that door has to be open; the whole house has to be in order.
Adding to this, it is often just about women versus men, but we need to think and talk in less binary terms. We also need start thinking more intersectionally. So don't just ask, are women well represented? But also, which women, and why? For instance, how many women of colour do we see among our colleagues, and how welcome do they feel in the university? The theme of International Women's Day, "One world, a thousand women", also refers to this.
Why did you go into science?
I started here in Nijmegen as a psychology student. I don't exactly remember why I chose that, but I do remember why, after that study, I wanted to continue in gender studies. There was much more attention to the structural aspects of inequality, which we also need to understand well to really create change. What role do institutions like the university play, for example? I was also very interested in the critical reflection on science practices that you find in feminist theory. As a university lecturer, I now have the opportunity to share this critical perspective with students in different programmes. For me, that is the most motivating and inspiring part of my work.