Anyone who walks along the Spoorlaan along the bicycle shed of the station in Tilburg steps over the tiles of the Walk of Fame. There are tiles with names of Tilburg people who are or have been important for the city. But Veerle Slegers from Emancipation Center Feniks always wondered when she walked over the tiles: “Why do I see so few women here?”
Of the 38 names that can be found on the Walk of Fame, there are only seven female. That should change, says Slegers: “Tilburg is a very progressive city and yet there is a walk of fame with tiles that almost only men stand on. This city has a rich past with many women who have done important things for the city. Why don’t I see those names here?”
“The first engineer in the Netherlands was therefore a Tilburg, but you don’t see that anywhere”
Saturday afternoon, on International Women’s Day, alderman Evelien Kostermans (diversity) will be handed a list full of names of women who have been significant for Tilburg. Various female resistance heroes can be seen on that list, but also the first female engineer (a technical engineer, ed.) Van Nederland: “That was a Tilburgse! But you don’t see that anywhere now,” says Slegers.
After handing over the list, everyone is invited to add these women’s names to the Walk of Fame with sidewalk chalk. Within a few minutes the sidewalk is filled with at least thirty new names.
Anne Marie is one of the interested parties, she bends over the tiles. With thick letters, she chases the names ‘Pien’ and ‘Laila’ on one of the tiles: “I have written down the names of the ex-presidents of the COC Tilburg and the surrounding area. Because they have been very important for the city. But I am going to write more, though! Tilburg has many women who have meant something to the city in so many areas.”
José has also added a name: “I chalk the name Lenie van Disseldorp. She died two years ago but has been active in the city council two years ago and at committees that are committed to women’s rights. I walk over this very often when I go to the train. Every time a new name was added I thought: hey, so I really think this is a idea.”
“For me you are really a heroine!”
A little further on, Margot has afraid of Marjo on the ground, Marjo is there this afternoon: “Marjo did a lot for the women’s rights. We recently attended the Tilburg archive and even came across her name because of everything that Marjo has already done here. For me you are really a heroin!”
Margot looks beaming at Marjo, who stands next to her. “If you have been around for a while, you will naturally experience a lot and you get involved a lot. But I feel stressed! There can still be endless women here if you ask me,” Marjo responds.
According to Veerle Slegers we should see women in many more places in the city: “In street names and buildings, many more women and other people can also be visible alongside men.”
For the present alderman Evelien Kostermans, the afternoon turned out to be inspiring: “We want everyone to participate in Tilburg, but unfortunately that is still not obvious, not even for women. So it is good that attention is paid to this. The list I have handed over is a great inspiration. We will definitely see if there are names that meet the condition and a place on the Walk.”