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Everyone should feel free to be themselves, without an imposed norm from outside. Unfortunately, gender identity is often overlooked, even within the LGBTQ+ community. So, for Pride Week this year, EVBox and Vattenfall are putting gender identity in the spotlight by sharing real stories.
Zette, Finn, Tália, and Erik all came to the EVBox office earlier this summer to tell us about who they are today as well as what they have gone through to become their true selves. From dressing up at home and experimenting with gender, to undergoing surgery or coming out to friends and family, they spoke about their journeys, struggles, and revelations.
Watch their interviews to get to know them and find out about their journey. We have found it enlightening and we hope you will too.
Zette (she/her) is an EVBox alumnus who only very recently came out as a transwoman. Before that, she was leading a double life. She has gone through her social transition while she waits for her formal medical transition.
"I have broken the game of life because you are not supposed to jump from one gender to another by design. I feel like I’ve lived two lifetimes."
Finn (he/him), who graduated earlier this year, started thinking about his gender about a year and a half ago, experimenting in small steps. He now identifies as a demiboy.
“No decision you make is final. If something feels right at the moment, you should one hundred percent go for it. If that changes later, it doesn’t matter… at that moment, that is who you are."
Tália (they/she) is a board member for COC Haaglanden who identifies as xenogender, a concept that originated in the neurodivergent community.
"It's like the instruction videos on airplanes: they always tell you to put your oxygen mask on first before helping others. That's true in life as well. You have to accept yourself before you can be there for others."
Erik (he/him) is a Vattenfall employee who first identified as non-binary before realizing he wanted to medically transition. Thanks to his experience, he has gathered a lot of knowledge about the Dutch medical system and now volunteers at Transvisie to give back to the community.
“My transition was a very organic process and I didn’t have to make dramatic decisions. For people that are struggling: experiment, talk to those who have been through something similar, and just find out what feels right.”
Every year since 2018, we partner with our friends at Vattenfall to add bright stickers to our PublicLine stations in Amsterdam for Pride Week. The revenue generated from the charging sessions during the week is then donated to COC Nederland, the oldest LGBTQ+ organization in the world, fighting for equal rights, emancipation, and social acceptance of LGBTQ+ people.
With over €15,000 raised since the start of this initiative, COC Nederland has been able to support Gender & Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) in schools. GSAs are groups of students, both LGBTQ+ and allies, who create safe spaces in schools, raise awareness through various campaigns (the most famous is Purple Friday), and improve policy. They’ve also supported small scale initiatives throughout the Netherlands via their Bob Angelo Fund. And the money has also helped organize some of their monthly Cocktail meetings, for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees that take place throughout the country.