Pride
66°North
Happy Pride week!
To celebrate the Icelandic Pride week we have created a dedicated Pride collection, where 25% of the collection's proceeds will be donated to Samtökin '78, the national queer organization of Iceland. The donation will be used to fund counseling and education for young people who seek their services.
Photos & interview by: Helgi Ómars
Sigga Ey
A singer and songwriter from Reykjavík
How are you connected to the LGBTQIA+ society?
I’m blessed to be a mother of a trans child and I also have a lot of friends and family members under the rainbow.
How has it enriched your life to have been introduced early to the community?
I love the beauty of diversity. It has truly enriched my life. It has thought me to be open minded, to be aware of my own judgments, to respect and accept people for who and what they are, even though they express themselves differently than I do. I believe that at essence we are all the same, we have different layers which I strive to appreciate. It’s the layers that make us unique and interesting.
I love learning and perceiving new aspects of life.
What does equality mean to you?
It means that we are all human and we are equal no matter what race, gender, or social status we have. We all have the same right to express ourselves as our true beings and make the most out of our lives and talents.
Did you see more clearly during the Eurovision song contest how we are nowhere near equality?
Yes, I did but I also saw that there are a lot of beautiful things happening and there’s loving awareness in the world that is growing. Most people don’t tolerate violence and want to live free and in peace.
I choose to focus on fighting for the things I love and with the people, I love instead of fighting against people and the things that I don’t like or disapprove of.
As a mother to a trans child, what do you feel is important for other parents to keep in mind?
To let your children express themselves openly, to support and encourage them so they can grow up being secure in themselves and stand tall and proud of who they are. Your support will make all the difference in the world and can actually save their life.
I truly admire people that have courage to be true to themselves.
What is it you wish to see in the future within the fight for equality?
That we can see beyond our differences and find what it is that we have in common, what makes us the same. I believe change occurs when people from different backgrounds with different opinions and beliefs come together in finding a common ground and standing together in demanding equality and peace on this beautiful earth we are all responsible for.
Why did you feel that it was important to bring awareness about trans-rights with you to the Eurovision Song Contest?
When my child came out as trans I felt the need to help clear the path for him. I didn’t want people to see him as something that was wrong, I wanted them to see the beautiful, courageous and strong individual that was able to be honest and true to his identity
Me and my sisters wanted to share our platform with the Trans community. It’s a community that we truly love, admire and respect. We wanted to give them a voice and help share important messages. We had around two hundred million viewers and throughout the process we had good access to the media. We also wanted to make trans individuals feel seen, loved and supported. I truly admire people that have courage to be true to themselves. I want to live in a world where all are free and where diversity is celebrated not condemned.
What can we do as a society to participate in the movement of bringing more awareness to queer rights?
We can’t change others we can only change ourselves. So we constantly need to work on ourselves individually. Make sure we are treating others with love and kindness. Keep an open mind, educate yourself and strive towards becoming more excepting and less judgmental. It can be hard but you can affect so many people in a positive way by making a good example yourself.
Pride T-shirt
25% of the Pride collection's proceeds will be donated to Samtökin '78
