What does it really mean to belong? As part of Reykjavík Pride, The Nest: Stories of Belonging at Reykjavík City Library invites visitors into a series of deeply personal stories from members of Iceland’s LGBTQIA+ community.
Among them is Nas, who shares a moving reflection on community, resilience, and finding a place where you no longer have to make yourself smaller to fit in.
What does it mean to belong?
It’s a simple question, but one that can carry a lifetime of answers. For some, belonging is a place. For others, it’s a person, a community, or even a poem pinned to a bedroom wall thousands of kilometres from home.
As part of The Nest: Stories of Belonging, one of this year’s Reykjavík Pride exhibitions, visitors are invited to step into deeply personal stories exploring identity, connection, and the search for home. Through audio, objects, and memories, each installation offers a glimpse into the experiences that shape who we are and where we find ourselves.
For Nas, a 27-year-old non-binary person who moved from Greece to Iceland in search of a better life and access to gender-affirming healthcare, belonging isn’t about fitting in. It’s about finding a place where you no longer have to make yourself smaller to be accepted.
We spoke with Nas about the power of storytelling, the courage it takes to share something so personal, and why even a single story has the power to make someone feel a little less alone.
GayIceland: Before we get into everything, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Nas: “I’m Nas (they/them), 27 years old. I’m a non-binary person exploring trans masculinity. I moved to Iceland from Greece a year and a half ago to build a better life for myself and to access trans healthcare.
My heart warms at the thought of seeing elder care reimagined as community houses. I need to see trans people grow old. I need to know that we get to age alongside one another, to remain in community, to witness each other’s lives. I want us to have access to the lives we deserve, collectively, together.
Being around trans people and witnessing their beauty, resilience, and charm is a gift. Being able to see yourself, and people like you, grow old is a privilege, especially when our trans siblings around the world are murdered every day. Growing old should not be an exception or a privilege; it should be something every trans person has the chance to experience.
I dream of a future where we are not only surviving, but living long enough to care for one another, to become each other’s elders, and to imagine old age as something shared rather than something uncertain.”
GayIceland: Without giving too much away, can you tell us a little about your story and what made you want to be part of The Nest: Stories of Belonging?
Nas: “As soon as I saw the post from Trans Ísland, I immediately thought it was a beautiful project and such an important initiative. It made me stop and ask myself: ‘What is it that makes me feel like I belong here, as a trans person and as an immigrant?’
The wall in my room is like a small memorial, or maybe a collection of reminders. It connects me to my loved ones through mementos from important relationships, memories we’ve created together, and little pieces of home.
“For me, belonging means having a place where I don’t have to make myself smaller in order to fit. It means being able to exist fully, exactly as I am, and being embraced not despite who I am, but because of who I am.”
I started thinking about how I could transform that wall into an installation that could carry the same feeling and message it holds for me. Then my eyes fell on a poem again, and I remembered why it was there in the first place.
The poem is called, “More Trans Than Ever” by Miltos. I first read it in 2021, when a friend shared it on Facebook, shortly after it was published.
Years later, when I moved to Iceland to begin my transition, I found it again. I printed it and placed it on my wall. Since then, it has become much more than a poem. It’s a reminder of love, a daily affirmation, and a bridge to the friends and community I left behind in Greece. During moments when I feel lonely or disconnected, it reminds me that I don’t carry my transition alone. In a way, it helps me feel that the people who shaped me are still here with me.”
GayIceland: The project is built around the idea of “belonging.” What does that word mean to you personally?
Nas: “For me, belonging means having a place where I don’t have to make myself smaller in order to fit. It means being able to exist fully, exactly as I am, and being embraced not despite who I am, but because of who I am.
It means not having to fight for my place. Not having to be afraid. Belonging feels like softness. Like being able to rest. It feels like hearing your own name spoken in a voice that truly sees and understands you.
For me, belonging isn’t about being the same as everyone else. It’s about knowing that my difference doesn’t threaten my place, it is part of what makes that place whole.”
GayIceland: Sharing such a personal story with strangers can be incredibly vulnerable. Was there anything that made you hesitate before saying yes?
Nas: “I think anyone who chooses to share their personal story is doing something courageous. Vulnerability is both beautiful and difficult. I definitely thought twice before saying yes.
“I think a younger version of me would have loved to walk into a library and hear a story like this. Maybe they would have felt a little less alone. Maybe they would have discovered parts of themselves, and their identity, much sooner.”
On one hand, I had to describe such a personal experience in a language that isn’t my mother tongue. On the other hand, I knew my voice would be recorded. I wasn’t sure how I would feel hearing my own voice a few months later, especially knowing I would hear it in a public space like the library, after my transition had already changed it.
Then I thought about my younger self.
I think a younger version of me would have loved to walk into a library and hear a story like this. Maybe they would have felt a little less alone. Maybe they would have discovered parts of themselves, and their identity, much sooner. Then I realized that maybe someone else will walk into that exhibition carrying the same questions I once had. If my story can make even one person feel seen, understood, or a little less alone, then sharing it is worth the vulnerability.”
GayIceland: As a trans person, are there parts of your story that you feel are often misunderstood, or that you wish more people took the time to understand?
Nas: “For me, the most important thing is that people don’t necessarily need to understand everything. If someone hasn’t lived this experience, they may never be able to fully understand it, and that’s okay.
What matters to me is respect. What matters is creating the space for me to exist, to explore myself, and to experience my own journey without constantly having to explain or justify it.
I love playing games, and transitioning can sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride. There are moments of joy, excitement, uncertainty, and surprise. Sometimes I don’t know what to expect next, and that is part of the experience.
I would rather not have to explain my story while I am still living it. I want to have a safe space where I can simply experience it, discover myself, and grow into who I am becoming.
Sometimes the greatest form of support is not having all the answers, but being willing to stay present and make room for someone else’s journey.”
GayIceland: What do you hope people will feel or think after experiencing your story?
Nas: “I hope that anyone who comes to the exhibition and listens to my story leaves feeling a little less alone. I hope this poem finds them the way it found me: like a warm embrace, arriving exactly when it is needed.
Solidarity is what we have. We have each other, and I believe that is one of the most powerful things we can hold onto. Whether someone is trans, queer, an immigrant, or simply trying to find where they belong, I hope they leave knowing that there are others walking beside them, even if they haven’t met them yet.”
GayIceland: Do you think storytelling has the power to change people’s perspectives in ways that facts and statistics sometimes can’t?
Nas: “I think it really depends on the person and on how open they are to expanding their perspective. For me, though, stories have always reached me more deeply than facts or statistics. They allow me to connect with people, not just with information.
I prefer to see people as whole human beings, with all the experiences, contradictions, and stories they carry, rather than as another number in a statistic.
Facts and statistics are important; they help us understand the scale of injustice. But stories remind us that every number is a person with a life, relationships, dreams, and a history.
I think stories have the power to create empathy. They invite us to imagine someone else’s world, even if we can never fully understand it. And sometimes, that small shift in perspective is where meaningful change begins.”
GayIceland: For someone who might be considering visiting The Nest, what would you say to encourage them to experience it?
Nas: “I think an initiative like The Nest is incredibly important, and I would encourage anyone to visit it.
As someone who didn’t have much of a relationship with libraries growing up, I find it really meaningful to see projects like this taking place in these spaces. I love the idea of a library becoming more than a place for books. They’re also a place for gathering, conversation, listening, and exhibitions that bring communities together.
I also think it’s a gift when people choose to share their time, their vulnerability, and their stories with strangers. When someone offers a piece of themselves in the hope that it might resonate with others, I think it’s worth showing up to listen.
You never know which story will stay with you. You might leave understanding someone else a little better, or understanding yourself in a way you didn’t expect.”
“I think an initiative like The Nest is incredibly important, and I would encourage anyone to visit it.”
GayIceland: Finally, if someone reading this is struggling to find a sense of belonging in their own life, what would you want them to know?
Nas: “I have to admit, this is the question I’ve struggled with the most. It feels a little too broad, because for me, it really matters who I’m speaking to and where each of us stands. Especially if I hold more privilege and power over the person in front of me, I don’t want to assume that my words can meet them where they are.
Words are such an important tool to me. I feel at home in them, and at the same time, I’m not always sure I can find the right ones.
The most honest thing I can say is: ‘I see you. And I’m so sorry you’re carrying this.’
Then I would ask: ‘What would help you feel a sense of belonging?’ I think that question matters more than any advice I could give.
Sometimes, when I don’t know how to respond to someone’s pain, but I genuinely want to be there, I remind myself that I can always ask. I don’t need to have the perfect answer before I show up.
Maybe that’s what living together really means: creating space for one another instead of making assumptions about one another.
Come as you are, and we’ll figure it out together.”
The Nest: Stories of Belonging is on display at Reykjavík City Library, Grófin, as part of Reykjavík Pride 2026. Through a series of deeply personal installations created by members of Iceland’s LGBTQ+ community, the exhibition invites visitors to explore identity, home, and the many different ways we find a sense of belonging.
The exhibition runs throughout Reykjavík Pride, from 4 to 9 August, and is free to visit during the library’s opening hours. For more information about The Nest and the full Reykjavík Pride programme, visit the official website.