The Land of Fire and Ice according to gay pilot Oegmundur Gislason – from the minimal gay scene to the most unearthly landscapes
It’s the magical Nordic island of lunar landscapes, wild weather conditions and volcanoes, glaciers and geysers aplenty. But gay Iceland is also known for its trailblazing LGBTI rights record; it was the ninth country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2010, and ex-PM Johanna Siguroardottir was the world’s first openly gay head of state.
Icelandic carrier WOW air even revealed it was naming a vessel TF-GAY earlier this year in honour of its LGBTI passengers – and last week, it came to light that the man behind the name was openly gay pilot Oegmundur Gislason. Here, Oegmundur speaks to Gay Star Travel to give a personal insight into the unique country he calls home…
What’s it like being LGBTI in Iceland?
I can’t imagine a better place to be LGBTI. People are so openminded here. Most people don’t care what your preferences are. Here, you can just be yourself and everybody welcomes you.
Are there are downsides to being LGBTI in the country?
I don’t know if I can call it a ‘downside’, but the thing I fear is that we, LGBTI people in Iceland, don’t realise how privileged we are. We live in a very protected and accepting environment, but that’s not the case for many LGBTIs around the world. We have to remember to appreciate what we’ve got.
By Jamie Tabberer – Full Story at Gay Star News
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