A 69-year-old man who tried to force Dutch authorities to legally reduce his age by 20 years has had his claim rejected by the courts.
Emile Ratelband says he does not ‘feel’ like a pensioner, and that reducing his age to 49 would mean getting work and attracting more women on dating websites and apps such as Tinder.
Last month, the self-styled ‘positivity guru’ asked the court in Arnhem to formally change his date of birth from March 11, 1949, to March 11, 1969.
Still 69: Emile Ratelband’s court bid to have his age reduced from 69 to 49 has been rejected by a Dutch court
He argued his request was consistent with other forms of personal transformation, such as the ability to change one’s name or gender.
But in a written ruling Monday, the court said Dutch law assigns rights and obligations based on age ‘such as the right to vote and the duty to attend school.
‘If Mr. Ratelband’s request was allowed, those age requirements would become meaningless.’
‘Mr. Ratelband is at liberty to feel 20 years younger than his real age and to act accordingly,’ Arnhem court added said in a press statement.
‘But amending his date of birth would cause 20 years of records to vanish from the register of births, deaths, marriages and registered partnerships. This would have a variety of undesirable legal and societal implications.’
Chasing tail: Mr Ratelband says reducing his age to 49 would mean getting work and attracting more women on dating websites and apps such as Tinder
The self-styled positivity guru answers questions outside a court after losing his case
The real-life Benjamin Button? Mr Ratelband is pictured outside court last month
The court said it acknowledged ‘a trend in society for people to feel fit and healthy for longer, but did not regard that as a valid argument for amending a person’s date of birth.’
It said Ratelband failed to convince the court that he suffers from age discrimination.
It adding that ‘there are other alternatives available for challenging age discrimination, rather than amending a person’s date of birth.’
In his claim, Mr Ratelband said that he should be allowed to change his date of birth because doctors said he has the body of a 45-year-old.
The Dutchman said it is proven that ‘when you behave like a young man, your body takes the same shape’.
Mr Ratelband, who works as a consultant and self-proclaimed positivity and self-help guru, said that one of the main reasons to have his age lowered is that he will be able to pick up more girls.
Mr Ratelband 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.’