The Brussels Parliament is taking steps towards more female representation in the naming of future public transport stops.
Majority representatives have submitted a text to introduce a systematic plan for naming bus, tram and metro stops after more women, Bruzz reports.
Existing Brussels street names and public transport stops are still very masculine: a survey by Equal Street Name Brussels revealed that only 7% of street names in Brussels are named after a woman, with bus, tram and metro stops showing similar figures.
As a result, Brussels Minister for Mobility Elke Van den Brandt (Green) and Brussels Secretary of State for Equal Opportunities Nawal Ben Hamou (PS) have submitted a proposal to feminise future stops, together with Brussels public transit company STIB.
Some progress has been made, but more remains to be done
A month ago, STIB renamed four bus stops after female resistance fighters from WWII. They tend to be cautious with the renaming of bus stops, as it can cause confusion for commuters.
Nevertheless, the lack of women representation remains an important point and should be addressed, according to Brussels MP Margaux De Ré (Ecolo).
“Public space is dominated by the presence of men. And it is important to honour female figures and give them a place in our society,” Margaux De Ré told Bruzz.
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“You also notice that this arouses curiosity. People want to know who this person was and go looking for that information.”
Although there are big plans for names for the forthcoming metro line 3, nothing is fixed yet. Possible names for the metro stops are still being discussed between Minister Van den Brandt and the STIB.
The text will be discussed in the Brussels Parliament next Friday. Only by May next year will there be a definitive answer.
