By Mieke Pressley Growing up in Europe as a Belgian-American, I was often asked: “But are you really American?” or “Why do you sound so American?” My answer – “Well, yes, I am a US citizen,”—would be brushed off with a shrug; to my skeptical Flemish classmates I was an imposter, a Yankee wannabe. When…
Too Old Or Too Gay? – The Marginalisation of LGBTQ Elderly
What comes to mind when you think about LGBTQ issues? The gay pride in Amsterdam perhaps, the supreme court granting same-sex marriage to everyone in the US last year, or perhaps just a same-sex couple happily in love? But what about those who spent the greatest part of their lives fighting for same-sex marriage and…
Transcending Assumptions – A Transgender Guy’s Experience with Gender Expectations
Yes, I have a vagina. No, I am not a woman. As crazy as it sounds, this is something I feel like I should explain every time I meet someone new. When I introduce myself as Niels, people tend to frown at me. Why do I introduce myself as Niels even though I obviously have…