05/07/2025
Mika (21) has been waiting for 22 months for a first consultation at a gender clinic. Meanwhile, he has personally covered the costs of top surgery and hormone treatment. He finally had his first consultation in May 2024. Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on 2 February 2024.
Prolonged waits for first appointments for gender-affirmation (supporting a person in being able to live as the gender they identify with) are a reality both in the Netherlands and globally. The toll on non-binary and trans people’s wellbeing can be profound, causing frustration, isolation, and despair. The photographer aims to highlight these issues, foster a greater understanding of the impact waiting has on people’s lives, and to encourage a more inclusive and compassionate approach to gender-affirming care.
‘Mika’ by Prins de Vos, Q***r Gallery, was awarded in the Singles category for the Europe region of the 2025 World Press Photo Contest.
Prins de Vos is a Dutch photographer based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, whose work touches on themes such as intimacy, sexuality, and gender.
Discover more: worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo-contest/2025/Prins-de-Vos/1
