Icelandic Writer And Trans Activist Amongst BBC’s 100 Women 2019

Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir, a trans activist, writer and journalist, has been selected amongst the BBC’s 100 Women 2019.

“I’m really not a fan of lists or awards, but I am still delighted to be on the BBC 100 Women list this year,” Ugla wrote on Facebook. “It’s an honour (and slightly intimidating) to be on a list with so many inspiring women who are all doing such amazing work.”

Of Ugla, listed as Owl Fisher (Ugla literally meaning “owl” in Icelandic), the BBC says:

“Owl – aka Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir – is a journalist, writer and trans campaigner. They are the co-director of My Genderation, a film project focusing on trans lives and trans experiences. They also work with All About Trans, a project creating positive representation of transgender people in the media. They co-wrote the Trans Teen Survival Guide, to help empower transgender and non-binary teens.”

Within an Icelandic context, Ugla is also the chair of Trans Iceland and has also been an outspoken advocate for the rights of nonbinary people.

Ugla was also one of the leading authors of Iceland’s gender identity law, which vastly expanded the right to self-determination for binary and nonbinary trans people in Iceland alike.

“So many people are coming out now that others think it must be a fad,” Ugla told the Grapevine in our feature story on the new law. “But I think it’s actually because we’re reaching a space where there’s much more awareness, people are able to express themselves more freely. If anything, people should be celebrating that there are more people willing to be who they are.”