Kimberley is an active member of QUEER! ‘Let me help make Saxion an even nicer and more inclusive school.’

Kimberley will never forget that moment during the Pride event in her hometown. She organised the event held last summer herself. She did this because she felt that Nijverdal could do with an event that also represented its LGBTIQ+ residents. 3FM-DJ Timur Perlin helped her do this and even made a mini-documentary about it. “That the parade stopped and my mother surprised me as drag queen, still means a lot to me,” says Kimberley. “My father was pretty emotional too. It was an important moment for me, when I look back on some of the difficult times I’ve been through at the Vmbo-tl [pre-vocational secondary education]. I was about twelve when I told my parents that I was attracted to women. I had also told a couple of school friends in secret. But they told others. And without me wanting, the whole school knew it in less than a week. I had a difficult time there for ages after that. Also because my mentor didn’t offer me any support. I can’t do anything about this, he said. That felt pretty lonely.” Things were better during Havo (higher secondary education), but that just seemed to make Kimberley more rebellious. “All of a sudden there was something called Purple Friday and all around me I was hearing how it was OK to just be yourself. I kind of turned against this a bit, because it gave me an uncomfortable and weird feeling that there could be such extremes within one school community.”

Instantly at ease

After successfully completing her first year Social Work at Windesheim, she decided to switch courses and study Applied Psychology at Saxion, where on the first day of the introduction week, Kimberley came across the stand of student association QUEER!. “That was actually pure coincidence. They were next to Applied Psychology, where I had to be. I wondered what the rainbow flags had to do with my degree course, ha ha. But when I started chatting I soon realised what it was about. I immediately thought: oh, I can be myself here. I’m not the only one at Saxion. It is always difficult when you start at a new school, a new study, or in a new class. These days, I just say straight away that I’m lesbian. Then that’s that over and done with. And the conversation with the students from QUEER! made me instantly at ease. So I decided to sign up.”

Even though she’s only been at Saxion for a few weeks, Kimberley is already busy doing some PR jobs for QUEER!, she says. “I’m now busy preparing the opening of our new space on the third floor of Saxion in Deventer. We are being given a work room there, where we can hold interviews and plan and hold activities. It is also a place where everyone can just drop in or can ask for the key. For example, when you are looking for a safe space for a chat. It is literally and figuratively a safe space. That’s what we are all about.”

Diversity Week

Even though members of QUEER! are still busy decorating their space, they are looking forward to the opening and official inauguration of their association, with a celebratory get-together for all interested on Thursday, 13 October in room A3.10 at Saxion in Deventer (14:30 to 17:00). The event is part of Diversity Week, which is being held in Deventer, Apeldoorn and Enschede. Saxion is working together with a range of other institutions, such as the Police Academy, University of Twente, ROC Aventus and the Etty Hillesum Centre. You can find more information about this along with this article.

How are things now with student association QUEER! that was only started in June? Kimberley: “Good! Of course, I’ve not been there for long myself yet, but I reckon we already have around fifty members. That’s a lot more than I expected.” Is QUEER! also going to organise activities for Saxion students in Apeldoorn and Enschede? “As far as I know, Apeldoorn doesn’t have its own student association yet, but naturally students in Apeldoorn can always become members of our club. Enschede has Exaltio. But who knows maybe we can work together sometime.”

It feels good, putting all your energy into it in Deventer, says Kimberley. “Visibility is good. In Nijverdal I experienced how important it is that everyone in a community feels represented. That’s what happened during the Pride there last summer. In Nijverdal I have a part-time job in the Zeeman shop. I regularly had people telling me at the till how great they thought it was that I had organised the Pride. And that it was high time that something like that happened in our village. That gave me a good feeling.”

Being there for others

Kimberley takes that feeling with her to Saxion. “I’m not necessarily active at QUEER! just for myself, because I had a hard time at high school. I mainly do it for others. Protect other young people, so that the same thing doesn’t happen to them.” Together with QUEER! Kimberley wants to think of ways to make the Saxion community more inclusive. To keep a finger on the pulse. “For example we are involved with the gender-neutral toilets. And you can also consider more awareness concerning graduation ceremonies. For example that a student, as transgender, wants to be called by his, her, or their right, new name.”

During high school Kimberley eventually got much needed support from her German teacher. “Even though my parents knew my orientation and accepted it, at the time I didn’t want to saddle them with all the problems I was having at school. I kept it a secret from them for a long time. My German teacher really was my rock at that time. She is also in the short documentary by 3FM. I’ll never forget her. It shows just how important it is to be there for each other.” It was only when the 3FM documentary about Kimberley was broadcast that her parents realised what part of her high school time was really like, she says. “It was pretty emotional for them. Now I want to do something for others. So when QUEER! asks for members, I think: Yes, let me help make Saxion an even nicer and more inclusive school.”

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Photography: Tessa Wiegerinck