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aromantisk-fagforening · 2 years ago

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Queer history in Norway

I'm mostly going to be translating one wiki, but this will be a quick overview over queer history in Norway. Mainly to motivate myself to read it, but ask for clarification if I phrase things weirdly. This is pretty much an uncritical translation, I'll probably look further into a couple of these things.

Summary:

while being gay wasn't favored, there were no homophobic laws before christianity came (1170). Over the years one could become an outlaw or be burned at the stake for gay sex. You weren't always punished though, because they didn't want to talk about it. In 1781 there was a marriage between two people who were afab, one who lived as a man, possibly trans (possibly bigender). In 1814 Norwegians got our constitution.

In the 1900's there were "romantic friendships" and "peppermø" (ace/unmarried) culture. World world two happened. In 1972 being gay was no longer criminalized. From 1948 there were a couple queer organizations, who in the end turned into the one known as Fri - organisasjonen for kjønns- og seksualitetsmangfold (Free - the organization for gender/sex and sexuality diversity). It became illigal to discrimiate against gay people in 1981. In 1993 gay people could become partnered, but not adopt nor marry in the church. In 2008 gay people could marry.

Since 2010 no "perversions" have been recognized as mental illnesses (homosexuality from before, fetishes, sadomasochism, transvestism etc.). Since 2012 you haven't been able to send gay asylum seekers back to homophobic countries. 2022 was queer culture year (skeivt kulturår). A ban on conversion therapy is in the works, it's only not out-right supported by KRF (who want to make it more difficult to transition) and FRP (who appear not to care either way). A third gender is going to be introduced legally.

translation note:

I don't know all the nuances of slang for sex, especially not historically, so I'm calling anything that seems like it could be sex sex, I'm including the words so you can do your own research, some may mean getting romantically involved I have no idea. Another thing is that sometimes things are about any non heterosexual orientation (e.g. bisexual, asexual) and the original text just says gay (homofile), then I'll just say gay, it is known as an umbrella term, so maybe it works, idk. Some things may also apply to trans people, but they're rarely mentioned.

Lokal Historie Wiki: Skeiv Historie (queer history from a wiki):

The first time homosexuality is mentioned in history is before christianity came here. Gay men were called feminine and bitches, which was very derogatory. Society seemed to be against them, but we don't know of homophobic laws.

When christianity came laws against homosexuality were made, in year 1170. It was inexcusable, one became an outlaw for having gay sex. ("Um to karmenn blandar seg med kvarandre").

In 1687 with Christian Vs norske lov (norwegian law) you could be burned at the stake for anal sex (sodomy). Not many were punished like that because people didn't want to talk about it in case it inspired more gay sex.

in 1781 a trans guy and a (cis) woman got married. Labels were different, but if he lived like a guy I'll call him a guy.

In the 1800's there were more words for gay "tvitotling", "tvetulle" (two tools), which has been used for intersex (tvekjønna) animals was used to describe people who trancended gender/ broke gender/sex norms (kjønnsoverskridende). Another word was "båing" (both), used about gay men and lesbian women. There are some signs of society not being exclusively negative towards queerness.

In 1814 we got "one of the most progressive constitutions in the world". Also, a university student had to quit his studies and leave the city after being outed as gay, but not legally punished. And people were aware of the Greek society being more accepting of homosexuality/sexuality.

In 1842 Christian Vs norske lov (norwegian law) was superseded by community service or prison time. Having gay sex (incl. lesbian) was called "against nature" ("omgjengelse mot naturen") and still punished. In 1846 three girls were punished for having lesbian sex, one with 1,5 years of community service and two with 15 days of prison with only bread and water. In 1847 they were found not guilty. In 1854 they were convicted for outrageous behavior ("forargerlig oppførsel") instead of unnatural sex.

(1886). Gay men on the other hand had to leave their university and got a lot of drama when people learned they were gay. New term: "kontrærseksualitet" (contrary/deviant sexuality). The idea of "sexual perversion" entered the psychiatry. The "I was born this way"-argument (født sånn-argumentet) got introduced. People thought kinks, fetishes and being gay was caused by masturbation, mental illness or negative external impulses (unsure what the last one means). And people still thought it was contagious.

In 1902 (straffeloven) being gay was further criminalized. Paragraph 213 banned "utugtig omgjøngelse" (lewd/undisiplined sex) between men. Gay men were basically told to be discreet as the law was to be put in to action when it was of concern to the general public (allmenheten). It was completely legal to discriminate towards gay men on the job and hosing markets because being gay was illigal.

Several women in the 1900's lived together in what was called "romantic friendships". Some of these may be percieved as platonic and not everyone in them called themselves lesbians. "peppermø" (literal: pepper maiden) was an unmarried woman over 30 and they were of many orientations, especially many who today probably would have called themselves asexual. They were a community or culture that broke with the heteronormative/heteroamatonormative society, because women were according to norms supposed to get married as early as possible.

1924: Alf Martin Jæger wrote gay fiction, homosexual (homoseksuell) was used for the first time in fiction. 1932: The doctors Karl Evang and Torgeir Kasa wrote an article saying people were born gay and deserved human rights (which was radical at the time). In 1937 a lesbian identity was described in "Følelsers forvirring" (feeling's confusion/the confusion of emotions) by Borghild Krane, and she talked about a demand of marriage for security.

WWII came. The nazis sent gay people to consentration camps with a pink triangle, which has later in time become an important symbol of gay people's struggle and gay visibility as a minority. The Norwegian nazi party (Nasjonal Samling) wanted to make paragraph 213 stricter but didn't succeed. People in gay relationships with Germans could be punished by German (Nazi) law.

In 1949 we got the first gay organization, a local branch of the Danish Forbundet av 1948 (Organization of), but it only lasted half a year. In 1950 Det Norske forbundet av 1948, DNT-48 (The Norwegian Organization of) with Rolf Løvaas as its leader. It became independent from the Danish Forbund av 1948 in 1963. They fought against the paragraph 213 (straffeloven § 213), but also for informing people and solidarity amongst gay people.

In 1961 the first Norwegian trans man (Aker sykehus) and in 1962 the first Norwegian trans woman (Rikshospitalet) got a gender affermative operation.

In 1965 the first gay radio program aired (on NRK). The Norwegian [university] Student's orgnization discussed gay people's situation. And in 1966 FTPN, a trans rights organization, was established, it became independent in 2000 and changed name in 2014 (FTPN still).

In 1972 paragraph 213 was repealed. Kim Friele was at the forefront of this (she died in 2021).

In 1975 Lesbisk Bevegelse (Lesbian movement) was founded. Since DNT-48 had a strong focus on gay men people wanted a lesbian, feminist organization.

In 1966 Åpen kirkegruppe was founded to fight for gay christians. In 1976 Arbeidsgrupper for homofil frigjøring, AHF (working groups for gay liberation) came.

In 1977 being gay was no longer a mental illness according to Norsk Psykiatrisk Forening. In 1982 the state, sosialdepartementet also removed homosexuality as a diagnosis.

There was some in-fighting, so in 1979, to unite everyone Fellesrådet for homofile og lesbiske organisasjoner i Norge, FHO (the common/joint council for gay and lesbian organizations in Norway) was made.

In 1981 paragraph 135a and 394a gave protection for gay people. These paragraphs, though most known as the racism paragraphs (rasismeparagrafene), protect from discrimination based on sexual orientation. They protect from discrimination in employment and housing. Later gay people came the work environment law (arbeidsmiljøloven) in 1998 and 2005.

In 1983 Helseutvalget for homofile (the health committee for homosexuals) was founded. The HIV-epidemic had come, and it affected gay men especially, though it did affect other people as I'm sure everyone knows. It increased stigmatisation, people were calling it "a punishment from God" (protestant christian). In 1987 came Landsforening mot AIDS, LMA (country wide). Kirkens bymisjon (christian organization, does a lot of good stuff) opened Aksept (accept) the first center for HIV-positive people and those sick with AIDS. In 1988 AIDS or HIV was not a valid reason for firing someone. The same year Pluss (plus) was founded for those with HIV. In 1999 LMA and Pluss became one, eventually turning into HivNorge (who, in addition to their HIV stuff, today support a couple of queer organizations)

In 1992 Landsforeningen for lesbiske og homofile (The National Association for Lesbians and Homosexuals) was made from the combination of DNF-48 and Fellesrådet for homofile. Later they expanded their name to add bisexuals and trans people. Since 2016 they've been called Fri - foreningen for kjønns- og seksualitetsmangfold (Free - the organization for gender/sex and sexuality diversity).

In 1993 the partnership law was passed. It let lesbian and homosexual couples have mostly the same rights as heterosexuals through marriage. But they could not adopt nor get married in the church. With religious freedom in mind they didn't instruct the church to change their way. In 2008 a new marriage law came, which made gay (incl. lesbian) people allowed to marry.

Skeiv ungdom was founded in 2004. Skeivsnuen anselag was founded in 2006 as a continuation of Drangeleik (danish, boy game). Oslo fagottkor (fagott isn't a slur in Norwegian, but it's based on the english) was founded in 2004.

In 2010 no "perversions" were any longer recognized as mental illnesses (homosexuality from before, fetishes, sadomasochism). Since 2012 you haven't been able to send gay asylum seekers back to homophobic countries. A ban on conversion therapy is in the works, it's only not out-right supported by KRF (who want to make it more difficult to transition) and FRP (who appear not to care either way). A third gender has been introduced legally.

In 2008 the state made an action plan titled "better life quality for lesbians, gats, bisexuals and trans people". Then the LGBT (LHBT) center was made in 2011 as a knoweledge center from sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2015 Skeivt arkiv (queer archive) was opened. They belong to the University in Bergen (UiB).

2022 was queer culture year (skeivt kulturår). The pride of 2022 there was a shooting at a gay bar in Oslo and Oslo Pride was cancelled.