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| Dutchman, 69, brings lawsuit to lower his age 20 years | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A Dutch pensioner has started a legal battle to legally change his age and boost his dating prospects. | A Dutch pensioner has started a legal battle to legally change his age and boost his dating prospects. |
| Emile Ratelband, 69, wants to shift his birthday from 11 March 1949 to 11 March 1969, comparing the change to identifying as being transgender. | Emile Ratelband, 69, wants to shift his birthday from 11 March 1949 to 11 March 1969, comparing the change to identifying as being transgender. |
| "You can change your name. You can change your gender. Why not your age?" he told Dutch paper De Telegraaf. | "You can change your name. You can change your gender. Why not your age?" he told Dutch paper De Telegraaf. |
| A local court in the city of Arnhem, south-east of Amsterdam, is expected to rule on the case within four weeks. | A local court in the city of Arnhem, south-east of Amsterdam, is expected to rule on the case within four weeks. |
| Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reported the court was sceptical of the suit, saying there was no legal mechanism allowing a person to change their birth date. | Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reported the court was sceptical of the suit, saying there was no legal mechanism allowing a person to change their birth date. |
| But Mr Ratelband argued he feels discriminated against because of his age, and that it was affecting his employment chances and his success rate on the dating app, Tinder. | But Mr Ratelband argued he feels discriminated against because of his age, and that it was affecting his employment chances and his success rate on the dating app, Tinder. |
| "When I'm 69, I am limited. If I'm 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work," he said. | "When I'm 69, I am limited. If I'm 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work," 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." | |
| Mr Ratelband further argued that according to his doctors he has the body of a 45-year-old, and described himself as a "young god". | Mr Ratelband further argued that according to his doctors he has the body of a 45-year-old, and described himself as a "young god". |
| The pensioner also said he would renounce his pension if he switched his birth date. | The pensioner also said he would renounce his pension if he switched his birth date. |
| The Netherlands' constitution expressly prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of age. | The Netherlands' constitution expressly prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of age. |
| Mr Ratelband is a media personality and motivational speaker, who is a trainer in neurolinguistic programming. | Mr Ratelband is a media personality and motivational speaker, who is a trainer in neurolinguistic programming. |
| He voiced the character Vladimir Trunkov in the Dutch-language version of the Pixar film Cars 2. | He voiced the character Vladimir Trunkov in the Dutch-language version of the Pixar film Cars 2. |