On Tuesday, May 29th from 5-7pm we will have a small show in the SÍM residency building at Seljavegur 32.

Also, a short video with the most enthusiastic visiter to the event Menningarverkefnið Hlaðan. He had built a bike that generates electricity a few years back with some high school students using a car generator. A special thanks to Elina Lajunen for inviting me over.

I met up with my friend Thor, who is on the board of directors for Samtokin 78, the queer organization in Reykjavik, and he explained the basics of the bill to me. Thanks Thor!

So, here are the areas that are covered:

Medical Care for Transgender People in Iceland

Specialist Team

A team of specialists, consisting of one person who is the director of health, one other doctor, and one lawyer will serve as the people who oversee the process of transition as well as other transgender related issues in Iceland. This team works with “the big picture”, as they say.

Medical Team

The medical team will oversee the actual transition. The bill will require that there is a team of doctors consisting of a psychologists, psychyitrists and endocrinologists  that will work with transgender people through the actual transition. At the moment, there are medical professionals who work with transfolk in Iceland, but this bill would require that there be someone appointed in all of these areas, and implies that there will be someone to replace doctors if they have to leave their position.

Transitioning in Iceland

A patient who wants to start hormones, get surgery, or legally change their name will have to be at least 18 years old. In addition, in order to get treatment in Iceland, a transperson will have to also be a legal resident of Iceland, have lived in Iceland legally for two years, and must be qualified for Iceland’s national insurance. If a transperson moves to Iceland and has already completed some treatment in another country, they will not be required to restart treatment in Iceland (in other words, they would not have to get re-diagnosed with GID, etc..)

Someone who is qualified to be treated must get the approval of the medical team to start hormones (if they want to take hormones). In order to change their name, a person has to be under the supervision of the medical team for 18 months. A transperson must also have their name changed before any transgender related surgeries, unless the supervising team agrees that they do not have to.

Civil Rights For Transgender People

Under this bill, “gender identity” will be added to hate crime laws alongside racism and homophobia. This includes, as Thor told me, saying transphobic things in the public media. At the moment, if someone says something racist or homophobic in public, it is illegal. Can you imagine how many American politicians and celebrities would be made into criminals if we had these laws in the US?

Transgender people will also be protected when it comes to employment and housing discrimination, and yes, also for public accommodations.

So, as I wrote above, this bill will basically cover everything all at once. I am excited for the people I have met here who are working hard on getting this bill passed, and will be watching closely as this session of Parliament draws to a close in the next months.

You can check out Thor’s blog here.

Click to view slideshow.

The photos in the beginning of my set are of my makeshift studio on the top floor (kind of an attic) of the house. There isn’t any furniture in the room, but I wanted to work up there and look out the little window every once and a while.

There are a few night shots in the set of the harbor area- Eskifjörður has a pretty big shipping port. The next set is from the 100th anniversary celebration of the first hydropower plant here. It’s not in use any more, and hasn’t been since the 60′s. I am told this is because it is so small, and also the the pipe that leads the water is filled with mud.

The last few photos are just tourist photos. We get just a few hours of light at this point, so I seized the opportunity today when I saw that sun was not hiding behind clouds.

The reason I wanted to post something before I turn in for the night, is that a conversation about what the next steps for the #occupy movement will be broadcast in just a few hours (from 8-10pm eastern time)  live at this link:

http://www.thenation.com/video/164494/watch-michael-moore-naomi-klein-and-others-occupy-wall-streets-possibilities

It has been so exciting to read about what is happening back home, and to hear reports from some of my friends are very active in the movement in New York and Baltimore.  And, on some level, a little heartbreaking to know that I won’t be back until May.  But, I am not whining, just torn.

There is an #occupy camp in Reykjavík, which I think might have happened just when I left the city to come to Eskifjörður. I will definitely be stopping by to check it out if they are still able to camp in the cold when I get back!

More about what I am doing tomorrow. Watch that broadcast!

I didn’t take any photos while I have been in Akureyri (I know, I know), but might be able to take some before I jump on the bus on my journey. I am so excited to visit east Iceland and talk to the people that live around there- and take a trip to the nearby Alcoa operated hydro-electric-powered aluminum smelter (named Fjardaál, or, “aluminum of the fjords”).  This plant, and Alcoa, were the subject of a documentary film (and book) called “Dreamland“.  I have already watched the documentary- and while in Akureyri, managed to pick up what may be the last copy of the english language version of the book left in Iceland (I have been looking for it everywhere!).

Once I arrive in Eskifjordur, I am staying in a small house, which is, according to the information sheet that was sent to me, “probably the oldest house in east Iceland”.  Sounds great!