AYUDH PORTRAITS: ANNE VAN EGMOND
Hey, I’m Anne! I’m a Dutch student currently doing my masters in Social Studies of Gender in Lund, Sweden. I have been involved in AYUDH since 2021 and I am the proud coordinator of our Programme Development team. I’m especially interested in raising awareness on topics dealing with inequality, discrimination and marginalisation on an intersectional level. As you have probably assumed by now, yes I am very much a (raging) feminist, and proud of it!
To me, gender equality means that everyone can be whoever they want to be and feel like no matter their gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, ability or background. That means that everyone should have rights that ensure their bodily autonomy - the right to decide what happens to, in and on your body - and freedom of expression. It also means that everyone should have equal opportunities and equal valuation for education and career choices. This is also what intersectional feminism stands for - the struggle to reach equality for all people no matter their starting point in life regardless of privilege or marginalisation.
In order to reach these ideals of equality, respect and free self-expression, we need to become aware of where those values are lacking, what systems are keeping them from being actualised and how deep oppressive thoughts run (yes, also in you). Try to realise what judgements you have (be it sexist, racist, trans/homophobic, ableist, body shaming or any other form) and try to break it down - why do you think that, where did that thought originate and do you actually agree with what you thought. You can also start becoming aware of these thoughts and sentences in the people around you and intervening. Speak up when you hear a discriminatory or harmful sentence being used by family or friends and ask them why they use it - and especially when it is meant as a joke! (It is not funny and is actually very harmful to people who identify with the slur they use as well as show the person’s actual stance in these topics) By becoming aware of how these thoughts and sentences are everywhere, you can start realising how deep the systems of discrimination and oppression run as well as trying to make a change - one thought or sentence at a time. Another ‘quick’ thing to do is educate yourself! Start following social media accounts that raise issues of feminism or gender equality, read books or articles on the topics that interest you regarding gender equality and start discussions about the topic with family, friends or teachers!
