sweden appoints 1st trans woman in cabinet

[Carolyn Marie]

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3157948/sweden-gets-first-transgender-minister-female-majority-cabinet

 

Carolyn Marie

[Astrid]

Thank you for linking to this, @Carolyn Marie.  It's heartwarming, and not surprising to see the non-reaction:

“This is not a big deal, although it is important to me and many others who are experiencing the same issues,” Axelsson Kihlblom said in an interview with Swedish public radio after the appointment.

I always have a keen interest in all things Swedish.  It was truly a privilege to study for a year at the University of Uppsala, north of Stockholm.  It opened my eyes to how differently Scandinavians approach so many things, as compared to the States, especially gender equality.  It has shaped my life in the succeeding decades, from Ph.D. and language studies to the Swedish name we chose for our daughter 🙂.

 

There are many good things we can learn from Scandinavian culture -- or indeed, from any culture different from the one in which we grew up.  Tolerance and seeing the good in things we initially knew little about is so important.  That lesson carries over into acceptance of "other" people -- such as genderqueer people in all their diversity.

 

Med vänliga hälsningar / With friendly greetings,

 

Astrid