Pride Issue Editorial: Just Say No To Pinkwashing

As Reykjavík Pride approaches, 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 someone 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 pinkwashing. 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.

“The US administration continues to support regimes that perpetrate violence against queer people.”

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 administration 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. Bear in mind that the new US ambassador to Iceland was an active supporter of Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Had I been the one to make the decision, 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 our latest issue, all of whom continue to fight for a better tomorrow for all of us.

Happy Pride!

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