Gert Hekma

Gerhardus "Gert" Hekma (born 24 September 1951)[1] is a Dutch anthropologist and sociologist, known for his research and publications, and controversial public statements, about (homo)sexuality.[4] He taught gay and lesbian studies at the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Amsterdam from 1984 to 2017.[5]

Gert Hekma
Hekma during his Mosse Lecture, 2017
Born
Gerhardus Hekma[1]

(1951-09-24) 24 September 1951[1]
Bedum, Netherlands[1]
NationalityDutch
Academic background
EducationMS Cultural anthropology (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)[2]
PhD Historical anthropology (Utrecht University)[3]
ThesisHomoseksualiteit, een medische reputatie : de uitdoktering van de homoseksueel in negentiende-eeuws Nederland (1987)
Academic work
DisciplineAnthropologist, sociologist
Sub-disciplineGay and lesbian studies
InstitutionsUniversity of Amsterdam

In 2004, Hekma stated his controversial opinions on sex with children in the magazine of an organization for pedophiles named Martijn. He advocated for forcing kids into sexual acts.[6] In 2016 he stated in an interview on the Dutch Radio 1 that adults should be able to be sexual with kids. According to him, traumas from sexual abuse in kids stem from the taboo on sex with kids.

Career

Hekma finished Gymnasium-β, and in 1978 obtained his master's degree in Cultural anthropology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.[2] From 1979 to 1981, he worked at Utrecht University.[2] He was one of the organizers of the June 1983 social-scientific congress "Among Women, Among Men" (Dutch: "Onder Vrouwen, Onder Mannen").[7] In 1987, Hekma received his PhD in Historical anthropology from Utrecht University.[3]

From 1984 (succeeding Mattias Duyves[8]) until 2017, Hekma was an assistant professor and teacher at the University of Amsterdam, specializing in the sociology and history of (homo)sexuality.[9][10] Hekma's research is part of an academic counterculture,[11] and some of his statements, in particular about pedophilia and about sadomasochism, have caused conflicts between him and some of his colleagues and the university board,[12][13] and resulted in threats directed at Hekma.[14]

Hekma has served as editor or editorial board member of many periodicals.[15] He has also co-organized several conferences,[5][16] and has studied the life and works of Jacob Israël de Haan,[16] Louis Couperus,[9] and Gerard Reve.[9] He has taught students at Queens College and at the City College of San Francisco.[15]

In 2017, three activities took place related to Hekma's retirement: a two-day symposium, "Perils and Pleasures: Confronting Erotic Diversions", in Amsterdam University Library; an exhibition, "Rooie Flikkers en Homostudies UvA", at IHLIA in the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam; a Mosse Lecture by Hekma.[17] The latter was organized by the George Mosse Fund, that he co-founded in 2001.[5]

Personal life

Hekma is the son of a notary[12][13] and grew up in Bedum, the Netherlands.[13] He was a frequent visitor of the DOK gay disco[18] and was a member of the radical "Red Faggots" (Dutch: "Rooie Flikkers").[8] Hekma is a book collector,[4][14][19] and has a fetish for satin.[19][20] He is a fan of Marquis de Sade:[12][19] not only is De Sade one of his favorite authors and a source of inspiration,[14] Hekma is also fascinated by De Sade's position on violence,[21] and has used De Sade to provide his students with another perspective on sexuality and violence.[21] Hekma advocates against masculinity, paternalism and traditional gender roles.[22]

External image
Hekma (left) and Mattias Duyves in Portugal (1984), from Groene.nl.

In 2007, he received death threats after supporting the idea of including a boat for adolescents at the Amsterdam Gay Pride.[23] In 2014, Hekma co-created a petition addressed to the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, pleading the Dutch Supreme Court to not ban pro-pedophilia association Vereniging MARTIJN.[24] His support of MARTIJN resulted in death threats and an attempted burglary.[4] Hekma has stated he is not a pedophile.[25] He and his significant other, sociologist Mattias Duyves (1953), have been together for more than forty years.[14] They met in 1977 and married in 2007.[14] Both champion sexual and relational freedom.[14]

Hekma was interviewed for John Scagliotti's documentary film Before Homosexuals (2017).[26]

Selected publications

Hekma has published widely on the LGBT history in the Netherlands and Europe,[27] both as a sole author and as a contributing editor.[10][28] His publications include scientific works and popular documents.[8] A selection follows.

  • Homoseksualiteit, een medische reputatie [Homosexuality, a Medical Reputation] (1987)[5][10]
  • Goed verkeerd [Rightly Wrong] (1989)[10][27]
  • The Pursuit of Sodomy (1989)[10][27]
  • De roze rand van donker Amsterdam [The Pink Outskirts of Gloomy Amsterdam] (1992)[5][10][29][30]
  • Homoseksualiteit in Nederland van 1730 tot de moderne tijd [Homosexuality in The Netherlands from 1730 to Modern Times] (2004)[5][15][30][31]
  • ABC van perversies [The ABCs of Perversions] (2009)[5][15][30]
  • A Cultural History of Sexuality in the Modern Age (2011)[27][31]
  • Sexual Revolutions (2014)[27][31]

See also

References
  1. "Familieberichten" [Family announcements]. Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 26 September 1951. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  2. "Curriculum Vitae Gert Hekma" (in Dutch). University of Amsterdam. Archived from the original (DOC) on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  3. "Homoseksualiteit, een medische reputatie : de uitdoktering van de homoseksueel in negentiende-eeuws Nederland" [Homosexuality, a Medical Reputation : Figuring Out the Homosexual in 19th-Century Netherlands]. Ghent University Library (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. Alexander, Rik (19 September 2017). "Oud-docent Homostudies Gert Hekma: 'Mensen denken dat Nederland heel tolerant is, maar niets is minder waar'" [Former lecturer in Homosexual Studies Gert Hekma: 'People think that the Netherlands is very tolerant, but nothing is less true']. Winq (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  5. "Mosse Lezing 2017 door Gert Hekma" [Mosse Lecture 2017 by Gert Hekma]. George Mosse Fund (in Dutch). 11 August 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. Uittenbogaard, Marthijn (1 November 2014). "Interview met homo/lesbo-docent Gert Hekma".
  7. Koelemij, Paula (1984). "Pendelen van sexus naar socia: Lesbiese geschiedenis of vrouwengeschiedenis?" [Commuting from sex to social: Lesbian history or women's history?]. Tijdschrift voor Vrouwenstudies (in Dutch) (3): 290. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  8. "Docent Gert Hekma" [Teacher Gert Hekma]. IHLIA LGBT Heritage (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  9. Hekma, Gert (26 July 2018). "De seksuele revolutie in Amsterdam" [The sexual revolution in Amsterdam] (in Dutch). Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  10. "Studium Generale: Gert Hekma" (in Dutch). Utrecht University. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  11. Duits, Linda (16 June 2017). "Bemin de Buitengrens" [Cherish the outside border]. Folia (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019. Hekma's onderzoek behoort tot een marginale, academische tegencultuur. [Hekma's research is part of a marginal, academic counterculture.]
  12. Wolthekker, Dirk (29 June 2017). "Gert Hekma gaat met pensioen: 'Pfffff, iedereen is zo preuts en braaf geworden'" [Gert Hekma retires: 'Pfffff, everyone has become so prudish and obedient']. Folia (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  13. Pisters, Caspar (4 August 2017). "Docent homostudies Gert Hekma: 'Het is erg braaf geworden allemaal'" [Homosexual studies teacher Gert Hekma: 'It has all become very obedient']. Het Parool (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  14. Sanders, Stephan (12 July 2017). "Kind aan huis bij Gert & Mattias" [Regular visitor of Gert & Mattias]. De Groene Amsterdammer (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  15. "Gert Hekma". University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  16. "Mr G. (Gert) Hekma". University of Amsterdam. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  17. "Afscheidssymposium voor Gert Hekma" [Farewell symposium of Gert Hekma]. COC Nederland (in Dutch). 7 June 2017. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  18. Hekma, Gert (15 September 1992). "Afl.34: Gert Hekma, Hans Jan Kuipers" [Ep.34: Gert Hekma, Hans Jan Kuipers]. Een Uur Ischa (Interview) (in Dutch). Interviewed by Ischa Meijer. VPRO. 15:17. Retrieved 2 February 2019. Ik ben er vaak geweest. Met veel plezier. Erg leuk. Tot het eind. [I have been there many times. With pleasure. Very nice. Until the end.]
  19. Aldrich, Robert; Wotherspoon, Garry, eds. (2002). Who's who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History: From World War II to the Present Day (2nd ed.). Routledge. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-415-29161-3.
  20. Mooij, Annet (18 June 2004). "Vroeger was alles erger" [In the past everything was worse]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  21. Haarsma, Hester (11 August 2003). "Gert Hekma". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  22. Hekma, Gert (7 March 2006). "Heteromannelijkheid" [Heterosexual masculinity] (PDF). Krisis (in Dutch): 52. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  23. Beusekamp, Willem (3 February 2007). "Doodsbedreiging na steun kinder-gay-boot" [Death threat after support child-gay-boat]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  24. Dautzenberg, Anton; Fennema, Meindert; Grunberg, Arnon; Hekma, Gert; Swier, Bart (16 April 2014). "Hoge Raad, verbied Vereniging Martijn niet" [Supreme Court, do not ban Martijn Association]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  25. "Hekma: "Ik ben geen pedo!"" [Hekma: "I am not a pedo!"]. Gay.nl (in Dutch). 31 January 2007. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  26. "Cast and Crew | Before Homosexuals Documentary". Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  27. Hekma, Gert; Takács, Judit (26 March 2018). "Atelier Genre(s) et Sexualité(s) " Celebrating 150 years of homo/heterosexuality "". Université libre de Bruxelles. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  28. "Contributor Biography: Gert Hekma". glbtq.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  29. "Gert Hekma". Digital Library for Dutch Literature (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  30. "Meulenhoff : Gert Hekma". Meulenhoff (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  31. "Hekma, Gert". WorldCat. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2019.

Further reading
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