Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.08.2014, Page 40
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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1 — 2011 40
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 13 — 2014LITERATURE
I look up from my laptop for a brief moment
to see a woman with ash-brown hair and
bright red lipstick walking through the
door, her bespectacled eyes scanning
the café, obviously looking for someone
she has never met in person. I smile and
wave to her from across the room. She
returns a warm smile before walking over
to introduce herself. After she graciously
buys tea for the two of us, we begin
chatting, and my entire body—which had
tensed up in anxious anticipation of this
meeting—begins to relax. Before long, I
feel like I’m conversing with an old friend
or a wise, discerning mentor. Meet Jónína
Leósdóttir: respected author, human
rights activist and wife of the world’s
first openly gay head of state, Jóhanna
Sigurðardóttir.
During our conversation, I quickly
discover that Jónína's personal story is
just as captivating as the books and plays
she produces. She has worked in tourism,
politics, journalism and, of course, fiction
writing. However, her relationship with
the woman who became one of the
world’s most progressive trailblazers for
LGBTI rights is rapidly elevating her to
legendary status, both in Iceland and
abroad.
Jónína has authored many books,
including ‘Við Jóhanna’ ('Jóhanna And
I'), a poignant account of her thirty-year
romance with Iceland’s first female prime
minister. Since the book’s publication
in 2013, Jónína has travelled with her
partner across the world to tell their
remarkable story, most recently at World
Pride in Toronto, where Jóhanna was
the keynote speaker. Armed with her
words and compassionate spirit, Jónína
continues to fight honourably alongside
many others to change the world’s
perception of the LGBTI community
and encourage its acceptance among
citizens of all nations.
World Pride and the
current state of human rights
“The whole trip was an amazing
experience, from beginning to end,”
Jónína says, recounting her recent
journey to World Pride, an international
gathering promoting LGBTI causes.
“Jóhanna and I met some wonderful
human rights activists who are putting
their lives at risk every day by fighting for
gay rights.”
Despite the event’s upbeat tone, the
countless harrowing stories Jónína heard
from LGBTI people living in oppressive
countries like Uganda and Russia gave
her ample cause for concern. “The forces
they are up against are so terribly cruel
and powerful... I worry about people who
live in such societies who have to fear
for their lives, simply because of feelings
they were born with. It makes me sad and
mad.”
I ask her what she believes is
currently the greatest impediment to the
advancement of LGBTI acceptance. “I
think ignorance is the greatest obstacle,”
she explains. “Intolerance festers in
ignorance—and that includes prejudice
and suspicion between countries,
cultures, religious groups, et cetera.”
She adds: “But once you get to know
someone who belongs to a group you
were prejudiced against, most mature
and sensible people soon realize how
wrong they were. Under the skin, and
when you strip away nationality, sexuality
and religion, we are all the same.”
While Iceland has a reputation as
one of the world’s most tolerant societies
toward LGBTI people, Jóhanna and
Jónína too, have faced prejudice at home
and abroad. She recalls visiting the Faroe
Islands with Jóhanna on an official visit
back in September
2010, when an
MP in the Faroese
parliament publicly
refused to attend a
banquet in Jóhanna's
honour. “He said that
by bringing me, her
same-sex partner, on
this visit Jóhanna was
flaunting her sexuality,
which he found
offensive.” Optimistic,
forgiving and
completely unfazed,
Jónína stresses that
“everyone else we
met in the Faroe
Islands was incredibly
nice and welcoming
and we took no offence... someone
immediately started a Facebook page
which people could ‘like' if they did
not agree with this man... six or seven
thousand responded right away.” A few
months later, an LGBTI association was
established in the Faroe Islands, and it
“has been growing stronger ever since.”
Although discrimination still
persists, Jónína and Jóhanna's brave
willingness to live freely and openly is
resonating across the globe, spreading a
positive message of love and acceptance,
capable of changing and unifying the
hearts of people.
On writing
“I wake up every morning, absolutely
raring to start writing and feel incredibly
lucky to be able to write ‘my own stuff’
full-time,” Jónína proclaims, when I ask
her about her work as an author. “I am
immensely grateful for being able to
dedicate myself to authoring books.
Actually, every single morning I can
hardly believe my luck, and I begin every
day by lighting a candle by my computer
and taking a moment to thank God for my
life and opportunities.”
An intensely productive author,
Jónína recently finished her thirteenth
novel, ‘Bara ef...’ ('If Only...'), which hits
stores in October. “It
is a humorous study
of two marriages
over five dramatic
days in spring,” she
explains. “When the
story begins, a man
has just demanded a
divorce from his wife
at a very awkward
moment and for rather
unclear reasons. That
shakes up the whole
family, including his
daughter who has her
own problems to deal
with.” Despite having
numerous works to her
name, Jónína is far from
finished writing; she is
already hard at work on her fourteenth
novel and shows no sign of stopping
anytime soon. “I would absolutely love to
have at least twenty more years on Earth
in good enough health to be able to write
novels and enjoy spending time with my
family and friends,” she says about her
hopes for the future.
The international literary scene is
also starting to take notice of Jónína's
writings. 'Við Jóhanna' will be published
in Danish within the next three months,
and following the couple’s recent visit
to Toronto, Canadian publishers have
expressed serious interest in translating
it into English. An engaging account of
key moments within their relationship
(including the awkwardly humorous
moment when Jónína professes her
feelings for Jóhanna over a glass of
sherry in a hotel room on a business trip),
‘Við Jóhanna’ tells the touching tale of
two ordinary women who fell in love in an
unconventional and extraordinary way. It
is truly a powerful story for all the world
to hear.
What’s next?
When she is not travelling the
world, writing novels, or speaking at
conferences, Jónína is hard at work at
what is perhaps her most important job
to date: being a full-time grandmother.
“My first biological grandchild is a seven-
month-old girl named Nína,” she says.
“And it would be such a joy to see her in
her twenties. But even just being able to
talk to her and create some memories of
us together that she can carry with her
always, that would be bliss. Everything in
excess of that is a bonus.”
While she has enjoyed many
wonderful opportunities, Jónína
acknowledges that her recent life hasn’t
always been easy. “Everyone has all sorts
of problems to deal with. That’s life, I’m
afraid,” she explains. “But we also have
something to be grateful for, every single
day.”
She describes the last few weeks
of her father’s battle with cancer, a time
when she purposely kept a gratefulness
diary. Despite the tragic circumstances,
she notes, “I found something to enjoy
and appreciate every day. Keeping the
diary taught me not to underestimate the
importance of ‘the small stuff’ in life.”
Hardships aside, Jónína continues
to forge a strong legacy of promoting
positive change through her writing
and activism, showing how people from
a small nation like Iceland can have a
profound impact on the universal fight
for human rights.
I am sitting in a coffee shop near downtown Reykjavík on a cloudy August afternoon, ner-
vously awaiting the arrival of my distinguished guest: an acclaimed Icelandic writer who
also happens to play an important part in modern history.
Words
Elliott Brandsma
Photo
Julia Staples
“Intolerance festers in
ignorance—and that
includes prejudice and
suspicion between
countries, cultures,
religious groups...”
“We Are All
The Same”
Jónína Leósdóttir, writer and wife of Ice-
land’s former Prime Minister, is changing
the world, one page at a time
INTER
VIEW