Breaking barriers: Lennie Blockmans, the transgender candidate in the Miss Belgium
The candidates who compete for the title of Miss Belgium this year have been announced. One of them is Lennie Blockmans. Lennie (25) is a student of Psychology and calls her transition ‘the toughest hurdle in her life’.
She was born in a boy’s body, but decided in 2015 that she wanted to transition.
Lennie knew as a child that there was ‘something’. She liked boys and she was gay for herself, until she realized that this was not correct, or at least not enough. When Caitlyn Jenner came out in 2015 at the age of 65, Lennie saw the light. “I didn’t want to admit at one point that I haven’t lived a single day as myself,” she says. “A few months later I made the decision.”
However, the Antwerp Miss Belgium candidate is still confronted with ‘prejudice’. Men who don’t quite see her as a woman during a date, an ugly word or an ugly look,… “I know who I am, but I notice that I will never be fully fledged to many other people,” says Lennie. “I used to take that very personally, but now I never react to it anyway. That makes no sense.”
Another important reason for her participation is her desire to inspire others. “I want to be the change I want to see myself,” she says. And she notices every day that this change is necessary.
“Every day I get a word or a look. If I don’t want that, I shouldn’t go outside anymore,” says Lennie.
The perception of transgender people in Belgium is generally positive, according to those with personal experience in the country. Belgium is considered a relatively good place for queer individuals, offering supportive health care and insurance systems, especially when compared to other parts of the world. However, challenges such as discrimination, violence, and hatred persist, as evidenced by the negative reactions and hostility encountered in contexts like pageants.
In terms of visibility, Belgium performs well, with representation in government, media, and now even in the pageant industry. The country is home to a bold, outspoken, and vibrant queer community, benefiting from the absence of laws targeting homosexuals, unlike in some other nations. Nonetheless, there is always room for improvement. Advocates believe more can be done to achieve greater equality, representation, and acceptance.
