Ode to Femke Halsema | The standard has been raised forever

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Dear Femke Halsema,

If there is one woman who deserves to be honored for her contribution to the city of Amsterdam, it is you. You are the first woman to hold the office of mayor in Amsterdam's rich history. But this is not even the reason why I believe you are indispensable to the story of women in Amsterdam.

As mayor, you demonstrate that the office is not a ceremonial position. Nor is it a position of power: it is a public duty. You work purposefully and, where possible, you come up with structural policies.

What makes this so impressive is that you have to do this in polarizing times. You have the (often thankless) task of leading the city through such a turbulent period. I do not envy you. In the seven years that you have been mayor, you have had to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, Black Lives Matter, war in Ukraine, war in Palestine, student protests, and so on. The complexity and difficulty of this task should not be underestimated.

I am sure you have sometimes lain awake wondering whether you made the right decision. And I certainly do not always agree with those decisions or your approach in response to them. But one thing is beyond dispute: you do not shy away from the big issues of inequality, housing pressure, climate adaptation, racism, homophobia, femicide, and democratic values.

At a time when populism is putting pressure on the democratic order elsewhere, you remain steadfast in your defense of the values of an open society, advocating for inclusivity while at the same time demanding accountability from those who seek to abuse openness. I believe that you are perfectly fine with the fact that I do not always agree with you, because differences of opinion are part of the democratic values you stand for.

I would like to thank you for approaching Amsterdam from the perspective of the city's residents and for your strong sense of responsibility for Amsterdam's past, present, and future. Above all, I would like to thank you for recognizing that, despite being a beautiful city—the most beautiful city in the country, if you ask me—it is also a place where misogyny still has consequences, where Islamophobia thrives, and where queer people are not always safe. While some in positions of power avoid these ugly aspects of their domain, you look them straight in the eye. I wish there were more people who were driven by conviction rather than opportunism.

Your term of office is not yet complete, and the challenges are considerable. But the course has been set, and the bar has been raised forever. Not just for women, but for everyone who will follow you.

With warm regards,

M.K. Turner