Wikipedia

Gert Hekma

Gerhardus "Gert" Hekma (24 September 1951 – 19 April 2022)[3][4] was a Dutch anthropologist and sociologist, known for his research and publications, and public statements about (homo)sexuality.[5] He taught gay and lesbian studies at the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Amsterdam from 1984 to 2017.[6]

Gert Hekma
Hekma during his Mosse Lecture, 2017
Born
Gerhardus Hekma[3]

(1951-09-24)24 September 1951[3]
Bedum, Netherlands[3]
Died19 April 2022(2022-04-19) (aged 70)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Academic background
EducationMS Cultural anthropology (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)[1]
PhD Historical anthropology (Utrecht University)[2]
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

Career

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Hekma finished Gymnasium-β, and in 1978 obtained his master's degree in Cultural anthropology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.[1] From 1979 to 1981, he worked at Utrecht University.[1] 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.[2]

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,[6][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.[6]

Personal life

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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 was a book collector,[5][14][19] and had a fetish for satin.[19][20] He was 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 was 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 advocated 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 with 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.[5] Hekma has stated he was not a pedophile.[25] He and his significant other, sociologist Mattias Duyves (1953), were 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

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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)[6][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)[6][10][29][30]
  • Homoseksualiteit in Nederland van 1730 tot de moderne tijd [Homosexuality in The Netherlands from 1730 to Modern Times] (2004)[6][15][30][31]
  • ABC van perversies [The ABCs of Perversions] (2009)[6][15][30]
  • A Cultural History of Sexuality in the Modern Age (2011)[27][31]
  • Sexual Revolutions (2014)[27][31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Curriculum Vitae Gert Hekma" (in Dutch). University of Amsterdam. Archived from the original (DOC) on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b "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). 23 April 1987. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d "Familieberichten" [Family announcements]. Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 26 September 1951. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. ^ In Memoriam: Gert Hekma (in Dutch)
  5. ^ a b c 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). Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Mosse Lezing 2017 door Gert Hekma" [Mosse Lecture 2017 by Gert Hekma]. George Mosse Fund (in Dutch). 11 August 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  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. ^ a b c "Docent Gert Hekma" [Teacher Gert Hekma]. IHLIA LGBT Heritage (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  9. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d e f "Studium Generale: Gert Hekma" (in Dutch). Utrecht University. 22 December 2015. 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ a b c d "Gert Hekma". University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  16. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2019. 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. ^ a b c d e Hekma, Gert; Takács, Judit (26 March 2018). "Atelier Genre(s) et Sexualité(s) " Celebrating 150 years of homo/heterosexuality "". Université libre de Bruxelles. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. 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. ^ a b c "Meulenhoff : Gert Hekma". Meulenhoff (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  31. ^ a b c "Hekma, Gert". WorldCat. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2019.

Further reading

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