All Work Is Women's Work launched at San Serriffe, Amsterdam

On Friday December 19th, we celebrated the launch of the All Work Is Women's Work project at Amsterdam's San Serriffe bookshop. Moderator Emma van Meyeren led a conversation with the project's initiator and writer, Hanka van der Voet, and graphic designer Beau Bertens. The event featured a small exhibition of the XEROXED garments, poster-sized front pages of De Naaistersbode ('The Seamstresses' Courier'), and a bookshelf of secondary literature—primarily from Dutch second wave feminists—that guided the project. During the talk we discussed the process of uncovering the history of De Naaistersbond (The Seamstresses' Union), and how to bring forgotten histories to the present, and re-circulate them. We also did a collective reading with the audience, reciting stories from the Vaktoestanden ('Job Situations') column, where seamstresses anonymously called out their employers, if they were not adhering to labour regulations as set by the Dutch labour inspection; such as offering break time, reasonable working hours and a workplace free of (sexual) intimidation. Thanks to everyone who joined us!

Photography by Diego Diez.