ICELAND: Homosexuality Finds New Acceptance

By Lowana Veal Reprint | | Print |

Lowana Veal

REYKJAVIK, Nov 30 2005 (IPS) - Attitudes to gays and lesbians have changed rapidly in Iceland. Thirty years ago they were invisible. Now Iceland has one of the most progressive policies towards homosexuals. How has this happened?

The story starts with a man called Hordur Torfason, who in 1975 was the first person in Iceland to declare himself gay. He was persecuted as a result, and fled to Denmark.

But interest had been sparked in the issue and, with Hordur’s encouragement, a group of 20 men established the National Association of Lesbians and Gay Men (NALGM) three years later.

NALGM has provided a lobbying platform for homosexual rights in Iceland ever since, as well providing information, a meeting point, social activities and advice. It now has its own premises in downtown Reykjavík, bought with a substantial grant from Reykjavik City Council in 1998.

Gradually the situation changed, and Icelanders became less homophobic. “With the advent of AIDS around 1983-5, Icelanders were forced to discuss issues they’d previously ignored. And Iceland is such a small country (pop. 278,000), it is much easier to reach out to the population as a whole than in other countries. Just one article can make a difference,” Hrafnkell Stefansson, manager of the NALGM centre told IPS.

The next step was equalisation of the law on the age of consent. In 1992 this was changed from 18 for homosexuals and 16 for others, to 14 for everyone.

Many believe that 1996 was a turning point. That was the year when Iceland followed its Scandinavian neighbours by passing a law that allowed for registered cohabitation by a sheriff of same-sex couples – essentially marriage outside of the Church.

This meant that homosexuals now had the same basic rights as heterosexuals in marriage, except that adoption and in-vitro-fertilisation were not permitted. However, the Icelandic law went further than that of Denmark, Sweden and Norway by permitting joint custody of children within gay marriages.

“In reality, the law was ahead of public opinion here,” said Stefansson. “As a result of this law, same-sex civil marriages were reported in the press and the general public began to see that there was nothing threatening about it. Generally it became accepted.”

The same year, it became illegal to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation, which meant that it was forbidden to refuse people goods or services because of their sexuality and likewise forbidden to attack a person publicly with mockery, defamation, abuse or threats because of their sexual orientation.

Icelanders had to wait until 1999 for the first Gay Pride Festival, though. And it was a small event: no march, only a gathering of about 1,500 people in the centre of town who listened to a few speeches and songs.

But the Gay Pride events have grown annually. In 2005, 50,000 people supported the Gay Pride parade and accompanying events – almost a sixth of the entire population, and a very large number therefore of the adult population.

Unlike other countries where the majority of participants are themselves homosexual, Gay Pride in Iceland is very much a family event. The media, too, supports it, by televising debates and interviews in the week leading up to the four-day festival.

Minister for social affairs Arni Magnusson spoke at the 2005 rally. He promised reforms, and with a new Bill now going through the Icelandic Althing (Parliament), these reforms are now becoming a reality.

The Bill, which is supported by all political parties, had its first discussion last week, and was introduced by Prime Minister Halldor Asgrimsson.

It is designed to equalise the rights of homosexual and heterosexuals, tackling issues such as social security benefits, pensions, tax issues and death duties, as well as providing parental leave, rights to adoption for homosexuals parallel to those for heterosexuals, and the right for a lesbian in registered cohabitation or long-term relationship to undergo in-vitro fertilisation.

Icelanders currently living overseas will also be allowed to undergo a gay marriage. Approximately 40 amendments to different laws will have to be made after the Bill is passed.

However, the Bill does not currently allow for Church weddings. “The Church needs time to decide; there are so many viewpoints to be heard. It is unlikely that a final decision will be taken before 2007,” says Ilma Oskarsdottir from Iceland’s Lutheran Church. Nevertheless, many MPs want the Bill to allow Church marriages. The issue will probably become clearer as the Bill progresses through the Althing.

With a recent poll showing that 82 percent of Icelanders support the right for a lesbian in a stable relationship to undergo in-vitro fertilisation, it is clear that attitudes have changed dramatically since 1983, when a disco advertisement said ‘Everyone welcome – except gays and lesbians’. Iceland now looks set to become the world leader in homosexual rights.