The right kind of queer

In recent years there has been an international awakening regarding acceptance of various sexual minorities. Following the long hard struggle of homosexual people to be accepted, other groups have joined the fray, each expanding the meaning of the word queer and adding a letter to the ever more colorful acronym used when referring to the queer community; the still commonly used LGBT, then the more inclusive LGBTQIA with the newest version being LGBTQQIP2SAA – according to my three-second internet research.

BDSM-oriented people have been a part of Norway’s national LGBT organization, LLH since 1996. BDSM Iceland has applied to join Samtökin '78, the national queer organization in Iceland. The matter will be introduced at a meeting at Samtökin '78, Suðurgata 3 in Reykjavík, on Tuesday night, November 24, at 20PM.
BDSM-oriented people have been a part of Norway’s national LGBT organization, LLH since 1996. BDSM Iceland has applied to join Samtökin ’78, the national queer organization in Iceland. The matter will be introduced at a meeting at Samtökin ’78, Suðurgata 3 in Reykjavík, on Tuesday night, November 24, at 20PM.

This is a very diverse group of people and the only thing that unites them is that they are different from the norm, when it comes to some aspect of their sexuality or sexual identity. They have a shared interest in breaking down the walls that keep them on the fringes. They do that by raising awareness, reminding people of their existence and fighting discrimination wherever it raises its ugly head. The people who make up the LGBTQQIP2SAA community know that even with all these letters in their acronym, they are still a minority group and if they are to have a loud enough voice in modern politics, they have to stick together.

All this is known and accepted within the community by and large. That being said, broadening up the definition of queer and inviting new groups under the rainbow-colored umbrella hasn‘t been entirely painless. The first generation of socially accepted gay people has sometimes been reluctant to let in all the other “freaks“ because they fear that it might destroy the status of normality they have so long fought to gain. That fear is understandable in a way, but it is not healthy and it needs to be kept in check. Normalizing homosexuality isn‘t the way to go. The norm itself has to be challenged and it’s status of correctness utterly smashed and discarded. That is what needs to be done, not only for the benefit of the rainbow-flag-flying, acronym-making queers, but for the sake of all humanity.

The mantra that people are just “born this way“ as some kind of a justification for being queer is obsolete*. It might have been a necessary claim at one time, just to make things simpler for the masses, but those training wheels are going to have to come off now. We have grown. We have to find our balance and adjust to reality. Our sexuality isn‘t just passed along in our genes like our hair color. Many of the things that make up our sexual fingerprint seem to be inherent, but no one knows how or to what extent. Our sexuality evolves within us in some mysterious way, maybe starting as early as in the womb, when the first threads of the great weave that will become our character are forming and it can keep evolving until we stop breathing. That doesn‘t make things less real or less vital to one‘s existence. Not at all.

“I meet up with fellow kinksters regularly, just to talk and socialize, but I can’t talk to my other friends about that. … Many people are terrified of being “outed”.”

I’m going to step of the soap box now. This isn’t really the article I meant to write. This was meant to be a rather uplifting and cheerful call to the Icelandic LGBT community to open their minds a little and consider making room in their ranks for the new and not-as-scary-as-many-think, wannabe recruits: the BDSM community. It was going to outline all the ways our agendas co-align with theirs and highlight the fact that those two groups are already quite intertwined, as around 60% of BDSM-oriented people identify as non-heterosexual.

I was going to point out some of the reasoning behind the claim that BDSM is in fact a sexual orientation and not just some weird sexual hobby. I was also going to cheerfully mention that in Norway, BDSM-oriented people have been a part of Norway’s national LGBT organization, LLH since 1996, when LLH created a political committee that worked on removing sadomasochism from the ICD-10.

BDSM is not just some weird sexual hobby. In fact it is a sexual orientation.
BDSM is not just some weird sexual hobby. In fact it is a sexual orientation.

In short, I didn’t mean to sound so aggressive. Our reputation is dark enough, I was going for (slightly kinky) unicorns and glitter kittens, not latex-wrapped sharks with laser-beams on their heads. Instead it took me four paragraphs of stating the obvious before I even dared to write out our own humble little acronym: BDSM.

I think the reason for my edge is how important and personal this is for me. I remember vividly the relief that flooded through me when I discovered that I wasn’t insane and that there was a name for the longings I had been fighting since childhood. It was life changing. I accepted this part of myself and that cracked the shell of self-loathing I had been trapped in all my life. In just a few months I was able to rid myself of that shell completely, emerging as a much happier person. When I had ridden that high for a while I began wondering why this had taken me so long. I remembered having heard about this thing called BDSM, but it was just something sick and depraved that people joked about and I couldn’t imagine it had anything to do with me. Now, these horrible four letters were a part of my identity and I had become a part of a subculture that as a whole yearns to be accepted, but is made up of individuals that fear the inevitable judgment of society so much that they choose to hide this part of themselves from the world.

This is the only bad thing about my new life. The involuntary skulking in the shadows. I have made a whole lot of new friends, but I can’t mention to anyone how I got to know them. It is a secret. I meet up with fellow kinksters regularly, just to talk and socialize, but I can’t talk to my other friends about that. It is a secret. Many people are terrified of being “outed”. The image of BDSM is still so negative. It makes us vulnerable and scared. Here’s another secret: We really don’t have any latex-wrapped sharks with laser-beams on their heads. We just want to belong, without denying our nature. We are queer.

*obviously, intersex people are literally born that way, but as with other people, their genetic makeup only affects their sexuality to a certain degree.

Bonds III Floats/Fjötrar III Fljótandi, by Margrét Nilsdóttir.
Bonds III Floats/Fjötrar III Fljótandi, by Margrét Nilsdóttir.

Á. Óskarsson
Á. Óskarsson

Á. Óskarsson offers a variety of products and services to sports centers, swimming pools, schools, kindergartens, and the general public. The company specializes in sport-related products, activity-focused games, and a wide range of solutions for sports facilities.

Á. Óskarsson has been involved in numerous big projects related to building sports facilities and has made it their benchmark to offer good quality products and equipment since the company was founded.

See links to social media in the upper left-hand corner

—————-

Á. Óskarsson selur fjölbreytt vöruúrval fyrir íþróttahús, sundlaugar, skóla og leikskóla og einnig ýmsar vörur til einkaafnota. Fyrirtækið selur vörur til íþróttaiðkunnar og leikja ásamt því að bjóða upp á ýmsar lausnir fyrir íþróttamannvirki.

Á. Óskarsson hefur komið að fjölda stórra verkefna við byggingu íþróttamannvirkja og hefur frá stofnun kappkostað að bjóða vandaðar og endingargóðar vörur.

Tenglar á samfélagsmiðla eru í efra horninu vinstra megin.

Webpage/vefsetur

Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

          Contact Us


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