Milou spoke out against slut-shaming at Vindicat in Groningen. And sent all her bed partners a little bit for her contraceptive costs

Milou Deelen is 28 years old and is seen as one of the figureheads of a new generation of young feminists. For her, feminism is a synonym for equal opportunities and rights. “I can’t imagine that people would be against that.”

According to her, the fact that some people have a negative association with the word has to do with the stereotype image that prevails. “When people think of a feminist, they think of an angry woman with armpit hair and dungarees.” But, Milou emphasizes, it’s not about appearance. “It’s about whether you support the idea of ​​equal opportunities.”

Cry for help

The video in which she spoke out about slut-shaming was a cry for help, she explains. “I was at Vindicat and I was bothered by the sexism there. If a man had sex with many women, he was tough. If a woman did that, she was a whore.” She spoke out, but felt not heard. “It frustrated me so much!”

With the video she hoped she would be listened to. “But my goal has been achieved a hundred thousand times, it has achieved so much more.”

Because the video had spread like an oil slick, Milou could no longer walk the streets anonymously. The Amsterdam native decided to return to her hometown. She was puked out in Groningen. “I didn’t want to live there anymore, that was no longer possible.” Once back in Amsterdam, it was as if she looked at the world with a different perspective. “Everywhere I went I saw sexism.”

The need was great

There was a lot of work to be done, but she did not become despondent. It actually inspired her, gave her direction and an identity. “It mainly showed me how great the need was.”

She became famous, entered journalism and now feels it is her responsibility to make her voice heard. “I saw that it was useful to write about it, things started to move.”

Tikkie

For example, she wanted to write about the shared responsibility of contraception. Deelen sent all her male bed partners a little bit for her contraceptive costs. “It was of course with a wink, to ask for attention. But I still sometimes get messages from people telling me that their partners are helping to pay because of my article.”

Feminism is a broad concept, with different areas of focus. Deelen herself writes a lot about sexuality and finds everything that has to do with violence abhorrent. “But there is so much to write about. That also makes it very double. It’s great that we can do something with it and at the same time it’s a shame that it’s necessary.”

Hoping to reach as many people as possible, she gives lectures throughout the country. The room is usually full of women. “That’s why I sometimes say that every woman should bring a man with her. Whether it is a partner, a friend, a brother or a father, it doesn’t matter.”

International Women’s Day

Friday is International Women’s Day, a moment of reflection for her personally. Exactly seven years ago it was this day that changed her life forever. That is why she has been invited to tell her story in dbieb in Leeuwarden. She gives a personal lecture in which there is also room to engage in conversation with each other. She’s looking forward to it. “Really a lot.”

Actually, it should be done every day, Milou thinks. But Friday is perfect a nice day to talk about it together. According to her, it always results in an interesting and educational conversation. “Let today be the starting signal of your future feminist life. And come to the lecture, it will be great fun and enjoyable.”