In the past few years, we have seen people seek to legally change their gender identity, nationality, and race. Now, a man from the Netherlands is seeking to change his legal age. He wants to legally become 20 years younger. This may sound crazy, but some of his arguments may have you second guessing.
The Plaintiff
Emile Ratelband is a 69-year-old motivational speaker and positive-thinking guru from the Netherlands. His customers include Toshiba, Philips, Whirlpool, and Apple. He has written 12 books and achieved international fame. Now, he wants to change his birth certificate to indicate that he is 49-years old. You may be asking yourself why anyone would want to do that or what purpose it could possibly serve?
The Argument
Mr. Ratelband claims he is not getting the same opportunities that someone who is 49 would get even though he is, in his own estimation, as healthy as one. He was quoted as saying, “I feel much younger than my age, I am a young god, I can have all the girls I want but not after I tell them that I am 69,” Ratelband also said, “I feel young, I am in great shape and I want this to be legally recognized because I feel abused, aggrieved and discriminated against because of my age.”
He went on to make a more coherent argument, “We live in a time when you can change your name and change your gender. Why can’t I decide my own age?” Additionally, he said, “When I’m 69, I am limited. If I’m 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car.”
The Court Case
As arguments wrapped up in November, the judge did acknowledge Ratelband’s points. However, the judge countered stating that, while people are legally able to change their name and their gender, changing someone’s legal age may have the effect of deleting one’s past.
You may be having a more conventional problem such as credit card debt, foreclosure, or estate planning, but these are problems nonetheless. If you need legal guidance, contact Elias Dsouza for a free consultation.
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