Shipbuilder and figurehead of the Top Sector Water & Maritime misses the mark!

The August 28th edition of the Financieel Dagblad featured an interview with shipbuilder and figurehead of the Top Sector Water & Maritime, Thecla Bodewes. A woman accustomed to acting in a man's world.

Although she, as a techie, more than manages to navigate the male-dominated industry, she also complains about ingrained gender roles, using them to discredit her real estate agent and the notary who performs his duties with aplomb. And there, unencumbered by any knowledge and fooled by her own bias, she misses the mark completely.

She has the on-call editor, Hilda Bouwma, note how deeply ingrained gender roles can be in her perception. She illustrates this by noting that when she sold her family home to a young couple during COVID, the real estate agent insisted that her husband also sign the purchase contract, even though, she explains, the house was in her name. And then, she fulminates, the real estate agent wouldn't let that girl, the buyer's partner, sign. "The exact same thing happened at the notary." "What bothered me was that I didn't say anything."

Well. That sounds terrible. And if misunderstood, it could also fuel the misconception that real estate agents and notaries still discriminate against women. But of course, that's not the case.

Our office's dream team consists largely of women. We are convinced that our organization benefits from having people from diverse backgrounds. We actively recruit, retain, and promote a diverse group of employees within our office because we believe in quality, regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation. We strive for a stimulating work environment characterized by diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunities. Because of our commitment to diversity, we would love to have even more men on our team.

But more importantly, the technician demonstrates insufficient legal knowledge and didn't ask for or receive any explanation from the real estate agent or notary regarding the fact that her husband had to co-sign and the buyer's partner didn't. She should have said something about it.

Had it been discussed, the executing notary would have emphatically and firmly pointed out the so-called family protection provision of Article 1:88 of the Dutch Civil Code. This article stipulates that a spouse requires the other's consent for certain legal acts, such as entering into agreements aimed at alienation , encumbrance, or transfer of use, and legal acts aimed at terminating the use of a residence occupied jointly by the spouses or by the other spouse alone . This applies regardless of whose name the residence is registered in and regardless of the applicable matrimonial property regime (full community of property, limited community of property, exclusion of any community). This therefore applies to the seller; not to the buyer.

That doesn't change the fact that there are countless examples of ingrained patterns that need to be broken. This applies to the position and emancipation of women in our society, and it also applies to the ease with which the public, often unhindered by any knowledge, too often and too readily points an accusing finger at the notary, who, with his or her mostly female staff, dedicates themselves day after day to getting things done as well as possible for everyone.

And then consider that within the Bodewes family there have also been generations of notaries who were happy to share their knowledge within and outside the family.

Read the full article: https://fd.nl/bedrijfsleven/1525685/thecla-bodewes-als-vrouw-kwam-ik-overal-direct-binnen-op-directieniveau