Tot Ziens: A Bittersweet Farewell

Hello, for the last time!

Wow. Time flies. This post is written in a bittersweet tone as I have left the Netherlands. My views on practically everything have changed. This trip offered me valuable lessons I would likely never have learnt otherwise. For example, I will never use Deutsche Bahn transportation services for as long as I live. 

Me in front of a church. Spot the pride flag?

Perhaps the most important changes from this trip are the ones from within. I used to be strongly anti sex work. I felt as though it was coercive and patriarchal. While this may be true in places like the United States, where sex work is illegal, this is not the case in the Netherlands. From our conversations with Lucy and Brenda, I saw the freedom of choice within the sex work industry that the United States lacks. These free choices are the result of a combination of things that ultimately stem from a place of pragmatism and general compassion (which the Dutch have tenfold compared to the U.S.). Most of the interactions I’ve had with sex workers in the United States are bleak-desparation masked by women’s empowerment. It seems that the main drive for sex workers in the U.S. is an avoidance of bankruptcy, whereas in the Netherlands, especially in Amsterdam, it is more of a choice. In a country where a medical emergency won’t bankrupt you, the ability to choose is much stronger. I’ve become an ardent defender of sex work legalization. These women are treated as entrepreneurs rather than as sob stories. This is evident in their requirement to register with the Chamber of Commerce and hold a valid passport every day they work (Majoor, 2015). Furthermore, condoms, lube, and part of the window workers' rent are tax-deductible.

Normalization of sex work and sex in general is a major tenet in Dutch culture. In parenting, children are seen as autonomous, almost like mini-adults. Their sexual activity and alcohol consumption are normalized in a safe and accepting way, which makes Dutch adolescents feel more comfortable as their bodies change during puberty (Schalet, 2004). Normalization is used in Dutch culture to ensure their comfort in their bodies. The United States often takes the opposite approach. Many parents demonize sexual activity and alcohol use. This is reflected in the sex education curriculum the United States has, which preaches abstinence above all else. This method is highly ineffective and accomplishes nothing. As stated in Ott and Santelli (2007), the United States has the highest adolescent birth rate in the Western world, with 42 births per 1,000 adolescents. In comparison, the Netherlands' adolescent birth rate is 5 births per 1,000 adolescents. This monumental gap is likely due to the education and access that Dutch adolescents receive in comparison to American adolescents. One of our class speakers, Dr. Linda Duits, says that birth control is free and accessible for Dutch teens who are 15 years or older. This kind of community support is what allows Dutch adolescents to explore their sexuality in a safe and caring environment-something the United States lacks. 

A beautiful piece of architecture that I'll be sad to leave behind.

Healthcare accessibility is truly what sets the Dutch miles (or kilometers) ahead of the United States in terms of overall quality of life. In a country where medical protections are never guaranteed, it’s hard to imagine having universal healthcare that covers gender affirming surgery. We had the opportunity to talk with a historian who focuses on transgender healthcare and accessibility. As a trans man himself, Alex Bakker could not fathom the United States’ healthcare and political systems. He said it reminded him of Berlin in the 1930s. This notion was quite terrifying to us, and as I prepare to reenter a country in shambles, it has become even more scary. Overall, the Dutch have an incredibly pragmatic approach to people in politics that has allowed them to thrive as one of the happiest countries in the world (World Population Review, 2024). I can only hope the United States adopts this same pragmatism, lest we fall into a situation that causes future historians to say “never again”. 

With pragmatism,

Claire💌

(n = 684)

References

Majoor, M. (2015). When Sex Becomes Work (Chapter 3, pp. 20-30). Prostitution Information Center

Ott, M. & Santelli, J. (2007). Abstinence and abstinence-only education. Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 19(5), 446-452. https://doi.org/10.1097/GCO.0b013e3282efdc0b

Schalet, A. T. (2004). Must we fear adolescent sexuality? Medscape General Medicine, 6(4), 1-18.

World Population Review. (2024). Happiest Countries in the World 2024. World Population Review. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/happiest-countries-in-the-world

"I have acted with honesty and integrity in producing this work and am unaware of anyone who has not."

-Claire Adams

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Lucy in the Window with Condoms: Sex Work in the Netherlands

Hallo again!

This week has been a whirlwind! We visited Utrecht, Zans Schaanse, the Prostitution Information Center, and the Anne Frank House, all in one week. Bouncing around Amsterdam and the adjacent areas has offered valuable insight into the culture and attitudes of the Dutch. 

The windmills at Zans Schaanse!

Sex work is legal in the Netherlands, a policy that makes the country very popular for international tourists. You can walk down the red light district at almost any time of day and see advertisements for sex shows, sex workers in windows, and desserts that resemble genitalia (which are delicious!). While the general public has an understanding of sex work, we rarely get to hear the sex workers' points of view. Often, they are only reported on in third-party news articles. At the Prostitution Information Center, my class had the opportunity to sit down with a sex worker and ask about her experiences. Brenda, as she called herself in one instance, is a "sex assistant", someone who is hired as an escort for populations that typically do not have access to sex and sex workers (i.e., those who are disabled, need extra care, etc.). Brenda was previously a nurse, so she is better equipped to handle this demographic of clients than other sex workers. She sees clients who have mental disorders, Alzheimer's, are disabled, and even one who is 93 years old! She says that sex assistants often are perceived in a more positive light than those who work in the windows. There is a noticeable hierarchy within the industry. Her job is not often in jeopardy, and tends to be seen as "noble" or more respectable than others.

A poster outside the Prostitution Information Center

Lucy, on the other hand, has a much different experience. Lucy is another persona that Brenda takes on when she works in the windows. Window work is a type of sex work in which the sex worker will stand in the window of a rented room, acting as their own personal billboard. They have clients approach them and negotiate prices at the door (Majoor, 2015). This is a far cry from Brenda's sex assistant work, as Brenda works through an agency. Lucy is an independent entrepreneur. The hierarchy of sex work is evident in the discourse surrounding the location and presentation of the red light district. 1012 was a city-wide initiative in which real estate that housed brothels and coffee shops was purchased and turned into gift shops and other tourist attractions (Nugent, 2019). This project was implemented under the guise of making the city safer, but sex workers note that the project has made their job much harder to do. While the initiative has attracted more tourists, most just want to look at the workers in the window. This means potential customers are being pushed out, replaced by tourists who are not respectful of the workers' boundaries. There seems to be an idea amongst tourists that sex workers are in the window to be seen, so they shouldn't mind pictures being taken of them. According to Lucy, this is a dangerous misconception. Many of the workers in the windows have other jobs or are in situations where it would be potentially damaging to them if someone found out they also worked as a sex worker. Regardless, taking photos of the sex workers is highly intrusive, especially if the photographer has no intention of providing business. 

Overall, these workers are often overlooked in legislation, always spoken for but never to. It is time that the government starts listening to them, as they are key players in the economy. These workers are an integral part of Amsterdam's vibrant and open community and deserve more respect than they are afforded. 

So long for now, 

Claire💌

The aforementioned genitalia dessert

n = 547

References

Majoor, M. (2015). When Sex Becomes Work (Chapter 3, pp. 20-30). Prostitution Information Center.

Nugent, C. (October 30, 2019). Amsterdam's Red Light District is in crisis. https://time.com/5712420/amsterdam-red-light-district-change/

"I have acted with honesty and integrity in producing this work and am unaware of anyone who has not."

-Claire Adams