Meet Christine, one of EQUAL!’s Vice-Presidents – based in Antwerp, Belgium.

What sport do you practice?

I used to be much more sporty then nowadays, I guess “age” has part in that, but also “time”. I practiced volleyball for many years, until my shoulders cried to stop!

But my biggest passion is windsurfing. My dad and granddad were sailors, where my dad was even a European champion in the 70’s and so the sport was part of my life from the moment I was born. I can sail and also did some competition in that, but the windsurfing is really more me. I started when I was 14 years old and I have participated in some competitions where many men were challenged by me. Nowadays I try to go windsurfing once in a while for pure fun and adrenaline to the lakes in the Netherlands enjoying wind and water. From sailing perspective I regularly go sailing with my dad who has a small yacht and we even participated a few times to the “ALU regatta”.

What animal scares you the most?

Jellyfish…As a windsurfer my greatest fear. I once saw on Miami beach the Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis), and I slightly touched her tentacles with my foot… it was soooo painful… and the trouble is that one cannot always see whether that “simple” animal has tentacles or not!

What is your link to GLBT?

I was married to a man for 11 years and we have 2 lovely daughters. I always felt that I did not have the connection with men that other women that I knew did, but it wasn’t until many years after I married that I understood what that really meant. It was a struggle for me emotionally as I grew to understand that I was a Lesbian. In 2006 I was able to make the tough and right decision to come out to my friends and family. My husband and I divorced, keeping a positive communication for the sake of our kids.

In 2008 I married the love of my life and since then I live a very happy life while enjoying a co-parenting arrangement with my ex-husband for the two girls. This has been difficult for my parents, but now they also accept me as I am, and realize I am still the same daughter as I was before I came out.

My coming out was never an issue, not in my private or professional life. I am very open about it and experience that when one behaves as it is the most normal thing in life, your environment does the same.

I must admit that I do live in a country and city that supports diversity in all its senses. I hope that my knowledge and experience build up from my own situation can help GLBT people and their families to feel good in their skin.

What is your favorite free time activity?

Singing and making music. I sing in a folk group ZEIL (own Dutch songs) and I am the lead singer in a cover band RockFort . Both on amateur level. Especially the cover band RockFort gives me joy and fun. We are four ALU employees, drums, guitar, bass and vocals, and we bring a brought repertoire from the 60’s till now…. We played at some parties and even entertained the all staff meeting 2 years ago for ALU Bell. Within the folk band ZEIL we are 6 to sing and make music (flute, drums, guitars, …) and whenever I can I will sit behind drums, or pick up some percussion… Unfortunately I did not have any musical education besides basic solfege at school, but I play and sing from my heart and I am blessed with a pretty good feeling for rhythm;-)

Which movies made you cry/laugh the most?

Laugh and cry: Mama Mia – the movie with Meryl Streep…amazing how this movie touches my emotions in both ways..if I do feel down , I watch this one, sing along and cry my heart out when all that love is in the air!