Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.08.2019, Side 2

Elín Elísabet is an illus-
trator and cartoonist
born and raised in
Borgarnes. At the
tender age of 15, Elín
moved to Reykjavík
and hasn’t looked
back, except for the
annual springtime
impulse to move
someplace quiet
and keep chickens.
Elín likes folk music,
stationery, seal vid-
eos, the country of
Ireland, and eggs.
Hannah Jane Cohen
is based out of Ice-
land by way of New
York. An alumni of
Columbia University,
Hannah has lived
on five continents
and speaks three
languages fluently.
Her visionary work is
known for expand-
ing the definitions of
emotion, introspec-
tion, and above all
else, taste.
John Rogers is an
Englishman who first
joined Grapevine
as a music writer,
later graduating to
Managing Editor. A
constant traveller
and a lover of art,
culture, food & night-
life, he edits our Best
of Reykjavík, Best of
Iceland, and Iceland
Airwaves sister
publications. His first
book, “Real Life,” was
published in 2014.
Shruthi Basappa
traded the warmth
of Indian summers
for Iceland's Arctic
winds. She's a food
enthusiast masquer-
ading as an architect
at Sei Studio, and
loves obsessive
attention to detail.
When not leading
our Best of Reykjavík
food panel, she can
be found trying to
become a Michelin
restaurant inspector.
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
is our Art Director.
He's responsible for
the design of the
magazine and the
cover photography.
When he's not work-
ing here, he DJs as
Terrordisco, hosts
the Funkþátturinn
radio show, or sits at
a table in a Laugarda-
lur café, drinking
copious amounts of
coffee and thinking
about fonts.
Josie Gaitens is a
Grapevine intern who
is also a freelance
arts project coor-
dinator, musician
and writer from the
Scottish Highlands.
She was once errone-
ously referred to as
the Queen of Scot-
land by a Malaysian
newspaper and has
been falsely using
that title ever since.
Andie Fontaine has
lived in Iceland since
1999 and has been
reporting since 2003.
They were the first
foreign-born mem-
ber of the Icelandic
Parliament, in 2007-
08, an experience
they recommend for
anyone who wants
to experience a
workplace where
colleagues work tire-
lessly to undermine
each other.
a rawlings is Grape-
vine's literature
correspondent, also
covering environ-
mental news, travel,
and more. An inter-
disciplinary artist
whose work focuses
on environmental
ethics, dysfluency,
and watery bodies,
her books include
'Wide slumber for
lepidopterists' and
'Sound of Mull.'
Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir
is a national treasure.
One of Iceland's
leading illustra-
tors, when she's
not drawing in her
unique style, she's
the front-woman of
Icelandic electro-
pop supergroup FM
Belfast. Her comic
strip Lóaboratorium
appears every issue
on page 8, and is also
available as a daily
dose on her Twitter.
First 14: Trash-Talking Hate Speech Laws12: Surtsey Volcanic Island Is Thriving14: Mass Whale Strand- ing In Snæfellsnes
38: How To Become
Inspired Like Skaði
24: Vegans Rejoice!
There's Food For You!
34: Meet The Mister:
Silla's Pop Odyssey
As Reykjavík Pride ap–
proaches, we are once
again publishing an issue focused on
the event. This time, the cover story is
about trans rights—how far we’ve come,
and how far we have yet to go. As some-
one who came out last year and had my
registered gender changed to female just
a couple weeks ago, it’s been a pleasure
to speak with some of the leading minds
of Iceland’s queer community and give
them this platform for expression.
While the recently passed gender
determinism law is a huge step forward
for us, there are still challenges ahead.
Amongst these challenges is pink-
washing. One example of this is the US
embassy in Iceland, which bought space
in the Reykjavík Pride booklet, basically
to congratulate themselves on their
progressiveness and tolerance.
As an American and a trans person,
there is nothing I would love more than
to believe the US administration is
indeed on my side. However, this admin-
istration has been actively seeking to
marginalise trans people in government
offices, has turned a blind eye to the
serial killing of Black trans women in
the country, and continues to support
regimes that perpetrate violence against
queer people.
Had I been the one to make the deci-
sion, I would have told the embassy to
keep their money. The US government,
and any other self-appointed queer ally,
can better support us through actual
practices that help and defend us than
with empty, self-congratulatory words.

In the meantime, we sincerely hope
you check out all the queer artists,
writers and activists featured in this
issue, all of whom continue to fight for
a better tomorrow for all of us. AF
Valur Grettisson is away.
EDITORIAL
Just Say No To
Pinkwashing
COVER PHOTOS:
Anna Maggý
ABOUT THE COVER:
Anna Maggý says:
"This was the most
inspiring project I have
done in a long while.
I got to shoot such
amazing characters.
46: The Diamond Circle:
Put A Ring On It
48: A Drive Across The
Ocean Floor
50: The Arctic-Adjacent
Botanical Gardens
What is it like to be born
in the wrong body? This
project was an eye-
opener. There is such
beauty in variety!"
For more information and bookings:
www.thelavatunnel.is
+354 519 1616 +354 760 1000
info@thelavatunnel.is
Breathtaking
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The highlight of our Iceland trip!
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