Internet & Financial independence for women - #lifelonglearning

In september 2016 I shared my experiences as a feminist in a personal letter with 50 participants of the AGORA '16 Young Feminist Summer School of the European Women's Lobby. I - Arina Angerman - started my conscious feminist journey in 1979 when I discovered The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir. I bought my Penguin Book in February and read the “Translator’s Preface” and “Introduction”. At that time I studied social and political history of the 20th century in Groningen, the Netherlands, and became an active member (volunteer) of the women’s history movement in the Netherlands.

Looking back as an ‘experienced’ feminist activist I want to share with you as readers (F/M) of this blog two big challenges & inspiring experiences in my life: Internet & Financial independence for women. 

1.     Internet is a new opportunity 
In 1995 as an expert participation of women in political decision-making 

I was in between jobs and had a big challenge. I found a new inspiring 

opportunity in the world wide web! In 1995 I participated as a volunteer in 

the NGO Forum in Huairou during the United Nations 4th World’s Women Conference in Beijing (China). In Huairou I started sending emails (blogs) and learned how to use the world wide web (Internet) by developing my digital skills. At the photo below I’m the woman with the cap. 

Arina Angerman and Maja van der Velden (Antenna APC the Netherlands) e-mailen in Huairou in: Vrouwenbelangen Jaargang 60 Nr. 4 in 1995
5th September 1995 I sended an e-mail 'Women in decision making' from Huairou to Amsterdam. I wrote a.o. ''Half the world; half the power. We love power and it is okay.'' 

2.     Financial independence for women

My most challenging experience was always and still is to be financial independent as a woman. I have earned money for more than 20 years as a project (program) manager or managing director (1988-2010) by working four days a week. I have had ten different jobs by which I contributed to my personal pension. In 2015 I learned that I have a state pension gap of two years! That’s why I now have different types of income: a personal pension, work as an entrepreneur and a part time job as telemarketer. In hindsight I was able to end my love relationship with a man when I was 30+ and another man when I was 40+ because I was a feminist and financial independent.

What I know now and what I couldn’t have known when I was 25 years old: one out of three women have experienced sexual and/or physical violence in the EU. Lifelong learning of new skills can play a great role to improve women’s economic rights and independence. 

Update september 2019
My different types of income are changing. I receive a 2nd personal pension. My state pension gap diminished by 8 month. And I stopped my part time job as telemarketer. I'm still financial independent and am representing IAW in the Board of EWL 2018-2020.  
Update February 2022 I am as a woman still financial independent. I am receiving a state pension too and had to learn new eskills: i.a. how to Zoom and how to live in times of corona. I left the Board of EWL June 2021 and put my BiZ Social Media 4 Boomers on hold. Now I enjoy being a candidate at spot #22 of my political party PvdA of which I became a member in 1991, in Amsterdam during the local elections #GR2022. Lifelong learning continues now by learning how to better use Insta.

Arina Angerman is a social entrepreneur Social Media 4 Boomers and writes a.o. blogs at angermaneuropa.blogspot.com ‘Empowering women in the digital age with more #eSkills in EU - lifelong learning’

Arina for 37 years, spends 8 hours a week of her personal time to promote women’s rights & gender equality at local, regional, national or European level. I represent an EU wide organisation International Alliance of Women (founded in 1904) in the Board of European Women’s Lobby since October 2014.