Snædís Yrja. Photo / Unnur Magna for Vikan magazine.

A trans woman on the cover of one of Iceland’s oldest magazines for the first time ever

For the first time in its 80 years history the Icelandic women’s magazine Vikan has put a trans woman on its cover as Snædís Yrja grazes the cover of the magazine’s latest issue, published this week. GayIceland got in touch with Vikan’s editor in chief, Steingerður Steinarsdóttir, to discuss the  magazine and the cover story.

Vikan’s editor in chief, Steingerður Steinarsdóttir.

Boundaries have been broken for the LGBTQ+ community once again thanks to the latest cover of Vikan magazine, which features a trans woman for the very first time in its 80 year history. Vikan is known for featuring powerful women with interesting stories, what was it about Snædís Yrja’s story that made you decide to put her on Vikan’s latest cover?
“We were dazzled by her honesty and frankness,” Steingerður says. “She is also a confident woman, with a strong sense of self. It is my policy to try and empower women by introducing strong personalities with compelling stories.”

Vikan is a magazine that emphasises the diversity of women, by featuring all kinds of women, was this a part of that ideology?
“Yes, definitely. I believe that kindness and tolerance are the keys to a better society, better existence and happier lives. To listen to other people’s stories, finding the matching points between them and you is important in order to learn, increase and exercise those keys. Whenever we are moved by another human as we get a glimpse of his or her thoughts and feelings we take a further step towards a society that is open, inclusive and kind. You could say that this has been my guiding light the seven years I have been in this job. I have had women of colour on the front page, Icelanders with foreign roots, lesbians, an asexual woman and women of all ages.”

“We were dazzled by her honesty and frankness. She is also a confident woman, with a strong sense of self. It is my policy to try and empower women by introducing strong personalities with compelling stories.”

In the interview Snædís Yrja talks about some gruesome things, such as rape and other kinds of sexual abuse and abuse in general from men. Were you shocked by some of the details she shares with the readers?
“Actually I wasn’t. I don’t think any woman would be. 30% of women are raped at some time in their lifetime and if you include sexual abuse the number is far higher. We have covered a lot of stories detailing violence against women so it didn’t come as a surprise that she had had to endure a rape. I was on the other hand so sorry that it had happened to her and so sad that we haven’t been able to pull together and put a stop to sexual violence. But I live in hope. Now that the offenders can no longer take shelter in silence and deliberate ignorance of society we might have an opportunity to rectify this social wrong.“

Snædís also talks about how some of the men she’s been with want to keep it a secret because she’s trans, like they are somehow ashamed of it. Was that something that surprised you?
“Again the answer is no. It saddened me that still in this day and age people are afraid of following their hearts if that means going against the mainstream. I do wish though that the interview and the courage of Snædís Yrja will make a dent and move us forward.”

Honest, frank and confident. Snædís Yrja is the first trans woman on the cover of Vikan.

Is that something you can connect to stories of other women in Vikan?
“Yes and no, there is a lot that we need to discuss about the way we treat each other. Men do not have a right to disrespect the feelings of women and vice versa. I would like to see more courage, more honesty and kindness in the way people form relationships and sustain them.”

Snædís Yrja also talks about the fact that some of her family members reacted badly when she was coming to terms with who she is. Did that come as a shock to you, to find out that people can still be like that in Iceland in this day and age?
“Yes, that did surprise me. I have a cousin who is a trans man and I both admire and love him and I think that the same goes for all other family members. We are so glad that the option to rectify his sex was open to him.“

Was there something in the interview that stuck with you or surprised you in any way?
“Just how beautiful, funny, honest and charming Snædís Yrja is.”

“I do wish though that the interview and the courage of Snædís Yrja will make a dent and move us forward.”

Did nothing else come as a surprise?
“Only the fact that her loved ones could not support her totally right from the beginning.”

How long have you been the editor of Vikan?
“For seven years now.”

In that time there have been interviews with queer women in Vikan, what has it felt like to see Iceland steadly become one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries?
“Yes, like I said earlier, we have had gay women on the cover and basically all types of women. I am proud and sincerely happy that Iceland is moving forward at such a steady pace. We have room for all and we can be proud of all the talented, intelligent and beautiful youngsters of our country today, because in their mind there are no distinctions or stigmatas, just individuals, and who you fall in love with is not an issue.”

What does it feel like to be one of the people who are breaking the boundaries for the LGBTQ+ community in Iceland?
“To be honest I did not think of myself as a boundary breaker. I am just
trying to do my job well and to the best of my ability. But if having put Snædís Yrja on the cover opens the mind of some and eases the way for others I will be extremely happy.”

Photos of Snædís Yrja by Unnur Magna for Vikan magazine.

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

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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.

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      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.

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        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
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        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
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        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.

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          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.

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          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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