Reykjavík Grapevine - aug 2022, Qupperneq 2

First 07: Our Very Own Soda
11: Fringe Winners
12: Do It Together
15: Design All Day
18: Messy Music
20: A Rainbow Thread
Like many of the Nordic countries, August is pride season
in Iceland. It’s unclear to me why it falls so late in the year,
compared to the US for instance, which celebrates Pride
Month in June, although it’s not entirely surprising that
Icelanders might leave things to the last minute.
This year’s Pride events, however, can not come soon
enough. A bewildering and concerning tide of queer- and
transphobia has reared its ugly head in recents months,
shocking those of us who deeply wished to believe that in
2022 we are living in a tolerant and egalitarian society. But
for the LGBTQ+ community this did not come as a surprise.
In particular, trans people have been flagging the scorn,
disgust and hatred aimed at them via ‘opinion’ pieces in
certain media outlets for years now, desperately trying to tell
their so-called ‘allies’ that everything isn’t all rainbows and
unicorns just because some banks stick a Pride flag on their
Facebook profile once a year. For those who are the targets
of this wave of hatred it is just the tip of the iceberg of the
multiple aggressions—both major and minor—that they face
in a society that is still entirely designed around straight, cis
people.
Like our (happily holidaying) editor-in-chief, Valur Gret-
tisson, pointed out in his last editorial, the backlash has in
cases been violent and extreme, with two people killed and a
further 21 injured in a shooting during an LGBTQ+ festival in
Oslo in June. But it’s important to remember that anti-trans
and queer bigotry is a killer even without guns and weapons.
Suicide rates for LGBTQ+ people are far higher than in the
general population. A young person recently died by suicide
in Iceland after a sustained campaign of queerphobic bully-
ing, leading The National Queer Organisation (Samtökin ‘78)
to raise concerns about growing widespread harassment of
queer people.
All-in-all, things feel a little bleak. But there are reasons
to be hopeful: the National Church, long seen as holding
backwards views on LGBTQ+ people, has aligned itself with
queer and trans people in reaction to recent events, includ-
ing anti-gay graffiti that was sprayed on a Pride flag painted
outside Grafarvogur Church. In general, the backlash to the
queerphobic actions has been strong, vocal, and angry, and
allies across the country are asking themselves, “what can we
do better?” For those looking for answers to that question, our
cover article, which features interviews with members of the
trans community, offers some ideas about where to start.
We often hear the phrase “Pride is a protest,” to the extent
that it has become cliché. This year’s Pride should serve as a
reminder that this protest is needed more than ever, and that
bigotry, in any form, can never be tolerated.
Josie Anne Gaitens
Acting Editor-In-Chief
27: Icelandic Cooking
28: Local Gourmet
31: Port And Starboard
EDITORIAL
Be Loud, Be Proud
Joana Fontinha is an
Aries baby express-
ing her soul through
photography. She’s
been obsessed with
icelandic culture
since her teens, so
much that at 20 she
threw herself head-
first on a plane to
her long-time dream
country, Iceland.
Driven, energetic and
unable to be still, she
clumsily moves like
a flash and suffers
from a serious fast-
talking condition.
Kim Wagenaar has
been here long
enough to forget why
she even got here
in the first place. If
she’s not busy being
a music manager,
she’s accidentally
bumping into things
or drinking bubbles
somewhere laughing
at her own jokes.
Someone’s gotta
do it.
Emma Ledbetter
was once the only
person on a group
tour of Iceland's
south coast, which
made her fall in
love—a little bit with
the guide and a lot
with Iceland. She
has a microbiology
degree from WSU,
so she is legally
obligated to say "Go
Cougs" to anyone
wearing crimson and
gray, and morally
obligated to tell you
she loves bacteria.
Josie Anne Gaitens
is an arts worker,
musician and writer
from the Scottish
Highlands. She was
once erroneously
referred to as the
Queen of Scotland
by a Malaysian
newspaper and has
been falsely using
that title ever since.
In addition to her
Grapevine duties, she
is currently on a mis-
sion to have a pint in
every bar in 101.
Iryna Zubenko is a
Ukrainian who has
been working on
the cross-section of
media and technol-
ogy for the past
five years. While she
is still figuring out
what to do in life,
this time her love for
travelling, unspoiled
nature and Scandi
design has brought
Iryna to Reykjavík.
One day she’ll write a
non-fiction book.
Catharine Fulton is a
writer who has been
involved with the
Grapevine for many
years—possibly too
many—serving as
journalist, food edi-
tor and news editor
before settling on
copy editor. When not
wielding her red pen
she's often found
opining on Canadian
politics (profession-
ally), and bitching
about Icelandic
politics (for fun).
Asha Edmondson
studies and takes on
just about everything
back home in the
States. From commu-
nications to dance to
psychology to sailing,
there is almost noth-
ing she hasn’t tried.
An intrusive thought
of “What if I spent my
summer in Iceland?”
turned into reality,
bringing her to the
Grapevine.
Andie Sophia
Fontaine has lived in
Iceland since 1999
and has been report-
ing since 2003. She
was the first foreign-
born member of the
Icelandic Parliament,
an experience she
recommends for
anyone who wants
to enjoy a workplace
where colleagues
work tirelessly to
undermine each
other.
Valur Grettisson is
an award-winning
journalist, author
and playwright. He
has been writing
for Icelandic media
since 2005. He was
also a theatre critic
and one of the hosts
of the cultural
program, 'Djöflaeyjan'
on RÚV. Valur is not
to be confused with
the dreadful football
club that bears the
same name.
COVER PHOTO:
Photo: Art Bicnick
Our August issue celebrates Pride in
Iceland, whilst also highlighting the
challenges that queer —and in particular,
trans—individuals continue to face. To
illustrate our main feature on trans rights,
model and activist Žarko Urošević poses
on Reykjavíkurtjörn while dressed in the
colours of the trans flag.
Late night
dining
Our kitchen is open for
until 23:00 on weekdays
and 24:00 on weekends
A local favourite for over 20 years
BOOK YOUR TABLE
TAPASBARINN | Vesturgata 3B | Tel: 551 2344 | tapas.is