nickngreg | Kim Friele (Reply)

This post has really nothing to do with Nick and Greg, but I wanted to say something about it still. I know all of us in here do want to support gay rights, so I wanted you all to know about a wonderful woman!

Norway are wrapping up the celebration of 100 years of independence, after the end of the union with Sweden in 1905. The TV channel NRK has during this year presented many Norwegians that has been nominated the 'Century's Norwegian'. The viewers has voted, and today a list of 5 finalist was presented. Tomorrow we will have a winner.....

Among the 5 finalists there is only one that is still alive: Kim Friele.
Kim Friele is born in Bergen in 1935.

She was the first Norwegian that officially came out with her right name as gay, and she became the Norwegians "gay face nr. 1"
She worked for the closed gay organisation "Det Norske Forbundet av 1948" and was this organisations leader from 1966 - 1971, and worked in the leadership of the organisation until 1989.

Her work resulted in the change of the law. In 1972 it was no longer illegal to be gay in Norway.
In 1978 homosexuality was also erased from the list of mental disorders thanks to the work of this woman.
When Norway in 1981 extended the law against racism to also include homosexuality, Kim Friele was a huge resource behind this development.
1993, Norway give the gays the right to get married/partnership (as the second country after Denmark), and Kim Friele was one of the first to get married to her girlfriend for many years.

The 4 other finalist are also huge personalities that has meant a lot for our country, but I must say, I am proud that the people has decided to vote for a woman that has spent 44 year of her life to work for gay acceptance!
I hope her work can be an inspiration!

Go Kim! I hope you will win!