



Today was a special day for sex workers rights in The Netherlands. Mariska Majoor, founder of the Prostitution Information Center (PIC) and PROUD, the Dutch union for sex workers, got knighted in the Order of Orange-Nassau. She received her knighthood for her contribution to sex workers rights in The Netherlands which she has done for more than 20 years. Mariska dedicated the honorable award to all sex workers.She received the royal decoration from the mayor of Amsterdam himself. The knighthood is not just a well deserved recognition for all the work Mariska has done in the past decades for sex workers in The Netherlands. The award is hopefully also another step into the direction of sex workers becoming more accepted by society.Mariska has been one of the few people who really understood me. Both having worked in prostitution behind the windows, we had a connection like few other people would understand. Mariska has been on of my biggest supporters for the last couple of years in writing this blog and for organizing the demonstration against the closure of windows in the Red Light District. Last year she sadly had to quit her activities at the Prostitution Information Center and PROUD because of health reasons. But her fight for sex workers rights have not been in vain, as it's now also been recognized by this award.Seeing Mariska leave the PIC and PROUD left me feeling lost. One of my biggest supporters was gone, and I'm so happy that now she's being rewarded for her fight for more rights for sex workers. I wish Mariska all the best and I am so proud of her and of what she's achieved, and I hope this reward and her hard work inspires more sex workers to stand up for their rights. She truly deserved this award, a recognition of all her hard for sex workers in the Red Light District, The Netherlands and world wide.