I don’t think in black and white, so yes, sometimes I even nod my head in agreement with a member of the PVV

How do you unite the conflicting voices within you?

Members of the House of Representatives recently met with Secretary of State Uslu for Culture and Media regarding the Basic Cultural Infrastructure 2025-2028. Martin Bosma (PVV) spoke out forcefully on the “racial illusion” in the art sector, notably in response to a research report on “diversity and inclusiveness in the film and audiovisual sector”.

The Secretary of State barely spoke. She stammered that she didn’t want to “reduce” the subject of diversity to ethnicity. But that is exactly what happened in this research report. An embarrassing demonstration: a secretary of state who did not understand her own policy, let alone defend it on the merits.

But the messenger then, the man who so perfectly put his finger on the painful point: Martin Bosma? Could it be that, as a half-Moroccan artist, I nod my head at the words of someone whose party would prefer to see people of my ethnic origin leave the Netherlands today? Actually, it went well, nodding in agreement.

In the eyes of others

You are usually “a barrel full of contradictions”, especially in the eyes of others. I often get called out when I criticize my “own” group, that is, people who broadly describe themselves as “leftist” or “progressive”.

For example, I think every trans person in the Netherlands should be able to walk the streets safely, earn respect and receive care when needed. But if I say that something is conceptually wrong when trans women play women’s sports and beat up biological women, then suddenly I’m transphobic.

How can a man who wears nail polish and loves The Cure – that band whose lead singer wears eyeshadow and paints his lips red – say he finds “them” as a personal pronoun for people Hideous and nonsensical nonbinaries?

Happy with the Roetveegpiet

A barrel full of contradictions? More like someone who doesn’t like black and white thinking. There are people who generously compliment me on my criticisms of anti-racist activists and their obsession with skin color – they mouth wide in surprise when I say I’m happy with Roetveegpiet replacing that nasty figure of Zwarte Piet.

People prefer to see you following a certain orthodoxy, so they know what they can do with you and you can work together against “the other”. Then you hear, for example: just look at the United States! How do you complain about wokie cancellation practices, when conservative Republicans are really busy banning books more and more?

Very yes, but in my opinion, you must always continue to criticize your own club. Where the call rings to close ranks, it becomes suffocating. This is where the thought stops. And then in the end the opponent wins.