Amsterdam Woman: Your Choice Blog Post

I want to do my blog post on Bet van Beeran.  This woman was LGBTQ+ and was open about it during Nazis rule in Amsterdam.  This was not accepted in this time but especially not accepted when the Nazis were in Amsterdam.  We learned a lot about her and her contribution of protecting others specifically during the time of the Nazis.  She had a cafe that was a safe place for others, specifically the LGBTQ+ community, but also anyone else who needed protection and a safe place to be who they are.  She would have a owl that would warn others when Nazis were around that she would light.  The people that she protected and helped ended up calling themselves the "Owls."  I loved learning about Bet van Beeran because she was someone that could have only protected herself because of her own persecution from Nazis, however, she decided to be there to help others as well.  

I think Bet van Beeran contribution is so important because she allowed for a safe place for people who needed it.  She was able to create an environment that people could be who they wanted to be without persecution and judgment from others.  This is so important because it begins this culture of acceptance that the rest of the world began to catch up too.  I believe she changed society and her country because she helped to make Amsterdam a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community.  Something that other countries had to continue to catch up too.  Amsterdam became more progressive.  

I think Bet van Beeran has been commemorated well.  She has a bridge named after her, and a cafe still working that she began with her name on it.  She was an important part of Amsterdam and the most important thing she did was have that cafe.  So having that cafe there and available for others is so important for continuing on her legacy.  Having a bridge named after is also a great way to commemorate her because it helps people speak her name more.  This helps to keep her name a well known name.  The one thing that would help to make her commemorated better is to have her name be a better household name to others even not in Amsterdam.