It was my own choice and it felt great

Guus Harms, a fashion designer and painter in the Netherlands, was born on the South Pacific island of Java when it was still a Dutch colony. At the age of 76, he spoke on Dutch television about his earliest sexual experience.

Source: Guus Harms in televisieprogramma De Eerste Keer: “Ik heb op mijn negende voor het eerste gevreeën en ik genoot ervan”

(In Englisch: Guus Harms on television show The First Time: “I had sex for the first time when I was nine years old and I enjoyed it.”)

by Marjolein de Meijer, Gay Krant (Netherlands), February 18, 2000


When I was nine years old, I did it with the doctor who lived with us. Yes, my dear child, you heard that right. Nine years old. But it was my own choice and it felt great.

At that time, it was quite normal to make love at a young age. I think it was the atmosphere over there. For instance, back then, when you wanted to swim in the river, you didn’t need a bathing suit, but would just go naked. There was no taboo on nudity. You learned in a playful way how to deal with touch, lust, and sexuality. I don’t know how things are there nowadays, but this was very common in Java in the 1930s.

You only do a child injustice if it indicates it doesn’t want these sexual acts. But I wanted it.

It takes longer for children to grow up here. I think, in the Dutch conditions, the line should be drawn at about 13.

If they find themselves old enough to smoke cigarettes, guzzle beer or use soft drugs, they can also decide for themselves whether they want to have sex with you.