OPINION Ugla Stefanía writes about how Iceland has made meaningful changes for LGBTQIA+ people in recent years, ranking the 1st and 2nd on Transgender Europe’s Trans Map and ILGA Europe’s Rainbow Map respectively. She reminds that even during the current backlash, there is still hope for a brighter future.
Earlier this month Transgender Europe (TGEU) and ILGA Europe published their Trans Rights Map and Rainbow Map respectively—where countries in Europe are ranked based on what legal rights they have achieved for LGBTQIA+ people.
Only a few years ago Iceland only fulfilled just over 50% of legal rights required for there to be full legal equality for our community. This year, however, Iceland stands at the top of TGEU’s Trans Rights Map, and sits in 2nd place on ILGA Europe’s Rainbow Map.
In a matter of a few years Iceland has made significant changes that have benefited the community and placed us so highly on both of these maps. This has been thanks to tireless work from members within our community as well as charities and other organisations that have advocated for our rights in recent years, and the decades before that.
One of the biggest steps we’ve made in recent years is passing the Gender Autonomy Act in 2019. This law increased the legal rights of trans people and intersex people which included easier access to legal gender recognition, non-binary recognition and banned interventions on intersex infants.
In a matter of a few years Iceland has made significant changes that have benefited the community and placed us so highly on both of these maps.
Through the process the law remained largely uncontroversial in Iceland, and had support from all major feminist organisations, human rights organisations and public institutions in the country. As a result, it passed through the Parliament with no votes against it.
We’ve also made meaningful changes when it comes down to anti-discrimination laws, as well as banning all conversion practices on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. We are still lacking in areas around hate crimes, hate speech and rights for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, but I am positive we can continue to make meaningful change for our community.
While things are far from perfect in Iceland, there is still reason to celebrate these achievements. Many countries in Europe and further afield are currently embroiled in a backlash and toxic debates about LGBTQIA+ rights, meaning some countries have come to a standstill—with some even moving backwards and removing or restricting existing rights.
This places Iceland in a unique position, where we are better able to deal with the backlash directed at our community and lead by example. LGBTQIA+ equality is not a threat to anyone, and only means we are creating a society where everyone has the same opportunities, and laws that protect them from discrimination and bigotry.
But even despite us being in a good position in terms of legal rights, we have also noticed this backlash, and our younger generations in particular are suffering increased hostility and prejudice in their day to day lives.
And that is the reality for all LGBTQIA+ people across the world, as we are noticing increased hostility and experiencing more hate crimes than ever. Our community is being targeted by far-right organisations and political forces more strongly than ever before, because we have never been more visible and more strong as a community.
This backlash and wave of bigotry is driven by fear and ignorance—much like previous moral panics around equal marriage, HIV and education in schools. The same tired tropes are being bandied around once again, simply in a brand new costume. The backlash has been largely pointed at the trans community, and has clear parallels to how gay men and lesbians were treated a few decades ago when they gained more rights and acknowledgement in society.
The maps published by TGEU and ILGA are therefore useful tools, as they give us an overview of progress in a larger context. They also give us hope in an ever changing world that progress is indeed still possible, and offers our community hope. Things that once appeared impossible are now a reality, and we will overcome this tide of hate, like we always have.
So even if things might seem bleak and overwhelming, just remember that there is always hope. As a community we will come together in solidarity and mobilise our allies to fight alongside us.
I therefore hope that changes like this can inspire and mobilise other countries, who will continue to push for much needed change.
Our community is nothing if not resilient, and we will continue to withstand the hatred and bigotry, and rise above it and push for progress. Because progress still needs to be made everywhere, Iceland included. We are still facing bigotry, prejudice and violence every single day, and the fight is not over until we are all free to be who we are without stigma, persecution and judgement.
So even if things might seem bleak and overwhelming, just remember that there is always hope. As a community we will come together in solidarity and mobilise our allies to fight alongside us. There is always something we can do, and progress we can make, even if it seems small.
Despite attempts to eradicate us for decades and even centuries, we will always remain as long as humanity exists—because being LGBTQIA+ is simply a part of being human, and the diversity of life.
So get loud, be inspired and don’t be a bystander. The time to stand up for equality is now, and we need everyone to come together in solidarity to push back this wave of hate and come back stronger on the other side.
Together we will overcome this backlash, and more and more countries will be able to celebrate achievements they’ve made. Humanity, compassion and love will always win over hatred in the end.