Binnenstad in Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands — Northwestern Europe
Gesina Dekker
| — | Walk of Pride Amsterdam | — |
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 31, 2026
1. Gesina Dekker Marker
Gesina Dekker
1772-1801
zij/haar she/her
Erected 2026 by Walk of Pride Amsterdam. (Marker Number 03.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Women. In addition, it is included in the Walk of Pride Amsterdam series list.
Location. 52° 22.397′ N, 4° 53.403′ E. Marker is in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland (North Holland). It is in Binnenstad. It is at the intersection of Raadhuisstraat and Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, on the right when traveling west on Raadhuisstraat. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182I, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland
this page online
Regionally, it is in Europe, the European Union, Atlantic Europe, the Benelux Low Countries, the Schengen Area, Western Europe, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Holy Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Jillis Bruggeman (here, next to this marker); Xica Manicongo (a few steps from this marker); David Kato (within shouting distance of this marker); FannyAnn Eddy (within shouting distance of this marker); Xulhaz Mannan (within shouting distance of this marker); Sarah Hegazi (within shouting distance of this marker); Jacob Anton Schorer (within shouting distance of this marker); Emma Trosse (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Amsterdam.
Also see . . . Gesina Dekker (Walk of Pride Amsterdam). Excerpt:
The vulnerable position of women(Submitted on September 1, 2026.)
What makes this case significant is that it offers a rare glimpse into the lives of women in the urban lower classes of the 18th century. Gesina Adriana Dekker is not an exceptionalhistorical figure; precisely for that reason, she is representative. Her life shows how vulnerable and changeable the position of women could be in a city where social control, economic dependence, and legal authority were closely intertwined.Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 31, 20262. Gesina Dekker Marker - wide view, looking west on Raadhuisstraat
The archives contain only fragments: a house on the Brillegang, four women who found each other temporarily in a shared space, and a system of urban justice that intervened and reshaped their lives. Gesina stands at the center, being the first voice in the file—not because she was the most important or influential, but because her statement forms the beginning of the story that preserved them all in the archives. Her life thus remains in the form of a record: not as a complete narrative, but as a moment in an ordinary existence that becomes visible through the language of the law and then disappears again into the silence of history.
On labels
In the 18th century, love between women was understood differently than it is today: modern identities such as “lesbian” or “bisexual” did not yet exist. People spoke instead of “immorality,” “sodomy,” or “tribadism.” The latter is an old term for lesbian love or sexual acts between women, derived from the Greek tribein, meaning “to rub.”
Such behavior was viewed as a moral deviation or a criminal offence, not as a form of identity or an expression of love. It was only in the 19th century that the term “lesbian” became common in a sexual sense, derived from renewed interest in the poetry of Sappho. The term “bisexual” first appeared in 1892 in the work of German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft‑Ebing.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
