Het is aankomende vrijdag paarse vrijdag. Een dag waarop studenten en scholieren in paars gekleed gaan om hun solidariteit te tonen met lesbiennes, homo’s, biseksuelen en transgenders (lhbt).
This Friday it is ‘purple Friday’. A day where students dress up in purple to show their solidarity with the LGBT- (Lesbian-, Gay-, Bisexual, Transgender- ) community. A day that once started on a high school in 2010 but quickly gained foothold at different educational institutes throughout the Netherlands. A small gesture from an organisation, but a world of difference to an LGBT student who has not fully settled yet.
‘Zoals heel veel (alle?) vrouwen in de wetenschap ben ik ook meerdere keren slachtoffer geweest van ofwel expliciete seksuele intimidatie vanuit een scheve machtsverhouding of impliciete intimidatie vanwege ‘gebrek aan sociale vaardigheden’. De nieuwsberichten rondom de filmbons Harvey Weinstein doen me beseffen dat het heel wijdverspreid is en geaccepteerd wordt. Ook in de wetenschap.’
‘Like many (all?) women in the academic world, I have also fallen victim either to explicit sexual intimidation based on a warped sense of power, or implicit intimidation due to a ‘lack of social skills’ on numerous occasions. The news reports about movie mogul Harvey Weinstein made me realise that it is very widespread and that it is accepted. The same applies in the academic world.’