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Emile Ratelband, Man Who Wanted To Legally Change Date Of Birth, Has Case Rejected In Court

Emile Ratelband, Man Who Wanted To Legally Change Date Of Birth, Has Case Rejected In Court

The 69-year-old Dutchman wanted to turn back the clock and legally be 49 again

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Remember Emile Ratelband? The 69-year-old who wanted to go to court to legally knock 20 years off his age?

Well, it's bad news for anyone hoping to also shave a few years off the clock, because the court in Arnhem has rejected his case.

Last month, Ratelband hit headlines after announcing he would like to have his date of birth changed legally to make him 49, explaining that his official age didn't reflect how he felt and it was also having a negative impact on his Tinder efforts.


Dutchman Ratelband even made an appearance on Good Morning Britain, where he stoked even more controversy by describing himself as 'age-fluid' before slipping up and swearing in front of the hosts.

When Susanna Reid explained to Ratelband: "You can't change the fact of the date you were born."

He argued: "You can be born as a small girl and as beautiful as you are you could say 'I feel like a man I want to have a dick."

However, it looks as though the court didn't agree with his 'age-fluid' state-of-mind.

In response to his claim, the court decided the age change cannot be accepted as Dutch laws don't give room for it.

The court said that Ratelband's arguments aren't cause to make new jurisprudence, or to search for links within current laws regarding legal changes for name and gender.

The court wrote: "Especially because all kinds of rights and duties, such as voting rights and compulsory attendance at school are linked to age, which is not the case with name and gender changes."

Adding: "Ratelband's argument that he suffers from age discrimination has been insufficiently made clear. There are other ways to raise the issue of age discrimination than changing the birth date."

The court also highlighted a number of practical problems which could arise if he were allowed to change his age.

Emile Ratelband wanted to have his date of birth changed legally.
CEN

The court wrote: "Changing his birth date would mean that 20 years would be expunged from the public registry. This would have all kinds of unwanted judicial and social consequences. The importance of registers which contain correct and factual information has to be put first."

But Ratelband is undeterred by the verdict and has vowed to appeal the decision and said he will take his case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

Speaking after the decision, he said: "You can change your name, your gender, your age is the last taboo. We piggyback on the transgenders."

Ratelband was born on 11 March 1949 but is hoping to have that date changed to 11 March 1969.

Speaking last month, he said: "When I'm on Tinder and it says I'm 69, I don't get an answer. When I'm 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position.

"Maybe they will say: you have soft muscles for a 49-year-old. But then I would say: but this one really is not soft. Come and get it!"

Featured Image Credit: CEN