A Dutch “positivity trainer” has launched a legal battle to change his age and boost his dating prospects. Emile Ratelband, 69, wants to shift his birthday from March 11, 1949 to March 11, 1969, comparing the change to identifying as being transgender. “We live in a time when you can change your name and change your gender. Why can’t I decide my own age?” he said.

Ratelband, who makes a living urging people and businesses to be positive, denies that the age request is a publicity stunt. He claims he is seeking a personal positive effect.

“Now I’m an old man. I have to save my money to give to my kids so that they can live,” said the father of seven. “But if I have that age again, I have hope again. I’m new again. The whole future is there for me again.”

A local court in the eastern city of Arnhem is expected to rule on the case within four weeks.

However officials were skeptical about the case, believing there was no legal mechanism allowing a person to change their birth date, local reports said.

One of the judges wanted to know what would become of the 20 years that Ratelband wanted to erase. “Who were your parents looking after then? Who was that little boy?” he was quoted as saying.

Ratelband argues 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 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.”

Ratelband further argued that according to his doctors he has the body of a 45-year-old, and described himself as a “young god.”

Ratelband says the Dutch government could benefit if it were to accept his age demand. He said he’d be happy to forfeit his monthly pension of around 1,200 euros (US$1,352) — a concession he estimates would save nearly 300,000 euros over the 20 years he wants shaved off his age.

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【变性的】biànxìng de transgender with gender identity opposite the sex identified at birth

【怀疑的】huáiyí de skeptical doubtful

荷兰的一名“正能量教练”发起了一场法律诉讼，要求改变自己的年龄，以提高自己约会的成功率。

现年69岁的埃米尔·拉特尔班德想把自己的生日从1949年3月11日改为1969年3月11

日，还将改年龄和改性别相提并论。

他说：“在我们生活的时代，你可以改名字，改性别，那为什么我不能改年龄？”

拉特尔班德的工作是鼓励人们和企业保持积极乐观，他否认要求改年龄是在炒作。他表示，他所寻求的是给自己带来的积极效应。

这位7个孩子的父亲说道：“（在世俗的眼光里）现在我是一个老人了，我必须把钱省下来给孩子，让他们更好的生活。但如果我回到49岁，我又有希望了，我将重获新生，未来又是属于我的了。”

荷兰东部阿纳姆市的当地法院将会在四周内对此案做出判决。不过据当地报道称，法官们对这个案件持怀疑态度，认为目前的法律机制不允许一个人改变出生日期。

其中一名法官想知道拉特尔班德想抹去的这20年要怎么办。报道援引该法官的话说：“你父母那时候照顾的是谁？当年的那个小男孩是谁？”

拉特尔班德表示，他因为年龄而受到了歧视，而且年龄歧视影响了他的就业机会和在约会软件Tinder上的成功率。

他说：“我69岁的话，会有很多限制。如果我是49岁，我就能买个新房子，换辆车。我可以干更多工作。”

“我在Tinder上的年龄显示为69岁时，没有人会理我。如果我49岁，以我现在这张脸，我将会非常抢手。”拉特尔班德还说，根据医生的检查结果，他的生理年龄才45岁，他还自称是“年轻之神”。

拉特尔班德说，如果法院接受他改年龄的要求，荷兰政府将能从中受益。他说，他很愿意放弃自己每月约1200欧元（1352美

元）的退休金，他估计这一让步能给政府省下20年退休金近30万欧元。 (Chinadaily.com.cn)