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At Ottar's 30th anniversary event in 2021, German anti-transgender activist Manu Schon, who is active within within [[Posie Parker]]'s "Let Women Speak" movement and WDI in Germany, was invited to deliver a speech that promoted [[gender-critical feminism|gender-critical or TERF]] talking points.<ref>{{cite web |title=Femzilla 2021 |url=https://www.kvinnegruppa-ottar.no/megafon/femzilla-2021 |access-date=17 May 2024}}</ref> In 2022, Ottar and the Women's Front were criticized for proposing that non-binary people be stripped of their voting rights at the parole meeting for the March 8th march.<ref>{{cite web |url =https://www.nrk.no/norge/oppror-for-kvinnedagen_-berre-kvinner-far-stemme-pa-parolemota-1.15840669 |title =– Opprør før kvinnedagen: Berre kvinner får stemme|access-date = 2022-10-05 |publisher =[[NRK]] }}</ref> Feminists Anna-Sabina Soggiu and Susanne Demou criticized the radical feminist organizations for fostering "fabricated issues and threat scenarios" about transgender people.<ref>{{cite web |url =https://vartoslo.no/8-mars-anna-dasnes-feminisme/er-det-virkelig-hit-vi-har-kommet-i-oslos-kvinnebevegelse/351715 |title =– Er det virkelig hit vi har kommet i Oslos kvinnebevegelse? |access-date = 2022-10-05 |work =Vårt Oslo }}</ref> Women's Front board member Natasha Alijeva stated that "it is undignified when the women's movement spreads fear about a vulnerable minority."<ref>{{cite web |author=Natasha Alijeva|url =https://klassekampen.no/utgave/2020-09-21/garderobepanikk |title = Garderobepanikk |date = 2020-09-21 |work =Klassekampen }}</ref>
At Ottar's 30th anniversary event in 2021, German anti-transgender activist Manu Schon, who is active within within [[Posie Parker]]'s "Let Women Speak" movement and WDI in Germany, was invited to deliver a speech that promoted [[gender-critical feminism|gender-critical or TERF]] talking points.<ref>{{cite web |title=Femzilla 2021 |url=https://www.kvinnegruppa-ottar.no/megafon/femzilla-2021 |access-date=17 May 2024}}</ref> In 2022, Ottar and the Women's Front were criticized for proposing that non-binary people be stripped of their voting rights at the parole meeting for the March 8th march.<ref>{{cite web |url =https://www.nrk.no/norge/oppror-for-kvinnedagen_-berre-kvinner-far-stemme-pa-parolemota-1.15840669 |title =– Opprør før kvinnedagen: Berre kvinner får stemme|access-date = 2022-10-05 |publisher =[[NRK]] }}</ref> Feminists Anna-Sabina Soggiu and Susanne Demou criticized the radical feminist organizations for fostering "fabricated issues and threat scenarios" about transgender people.<ref>{{cite web |url =https://vartoslo.no/8-mars-anna-dasnes-feminisme/er-det-virkelig-hit-vi-har-kommet-i-oslos-kvinnebevegelse/351715 |title =– Er det virkelig hit vi har kommet i Oslos kvinnebevegelse? |access-date = 2022-10-05 |work =Vårt Oslo }}</ref> Women's Front board member Natasha Alijeva stated that "it is undignified when the women's movement spreads fear about a vulnerable minority."<ref>{{cite web |author=Natasha Alijeva|url =https://klassekampen.no/utgave/2020-09-21/garderobepanikk |title = Garderobepanikk |date = 2020-09-21 |work =Klassekampen }}</ref>


Due to rising levels of [[transphobia]] in Norway, promoted in the name of radical feminism, 2476 feminists called for an inclusive feminism in a 2020 open letter.<ref>{{cite news |title=Opprop for inkluderende kvinnekamp |url=https://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/opprop-for-inkluderende-kvinnekamp/72234921 |access-date=17 May 2024 |work=Dagbladet}}</ref> An open letter by 2611 feminists was published in 2023, co-signed by the minister of equality.<ref>{{cite news |title=2611 feminister mot transfobi |url=https://www.blikk.no/trans/2611-feminister-mot-transfobi/229090 |access-date=17 May 2024 |work=Blikk}}</ref> In 2021 Alberte Bekkhus, the leader of the [[Red Youth (Norway)|Red Youth]], the youth organization of the Red Party that Ottar and the Women's Front are historically associated with, criticized the radical feminist organizations for transphobia, and said "if the women's movement allows transphobes in disguise as feminists, at the expense of trans women, it is working against its own cause."<ref>{{cite news |title=Transdebatten: –⁠ Transfobi hindrer kvinnekampen |url=https://www.vg.no/nyheter/meninger/i/WO7P0G/transdebatten-transfobi-hindrer-kvinnekampen |access-date=17 May 2024 |work=VG}}</ref> The Extremism Commission's report cited sources that pointed to "the connections between [[radical feminism]] and Christian conservatism" in relation to anti-trans activism, noting that "these are groups and individuals who use violent and dehumanizing language and are also threatening and extremely active."<ref>{{cite web |url =https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/nou-2024-3/id3027182/ |title =NOU 2024: 3: Felles innsats mot ekstremisme|date = 2024 |publisher =[[Government of Norway]] }}</ref>
Due to rising levels of [[transphobia]] in Norway, promoted in the name of radical feminism, 2476 feminists called for an inclusive feminism in a 2020 open letter.<ref>{{cite news |title=Opprop for inkluderende kvinnekamp |url=https://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/opprop-for-inkluderende-kvinnekamp/72234921 |access-date=17 May 2024 |work=Dagbladet}}</ref> An open letter by 2611 feminists was published in 2023, co-signed by the minister of equality.<ref>{{cite news |title=2611 feminister mot transfobi |url=https://www.blikk.no/trans/2611-feminister-mot-transfobi/229090 |access-date=17 May 2024 |work=Blikk}}</ref> In 2021 Alberte Bekkhus, the leader of the [[Red Youth (Norway)|Red Youth]], the youth organization of the Red Party that Ottar and the Women's Front are historically associated with, criticized the radical feminist organizations for transphobia, and said "if the women's movement allows transphobes in disguise as feminists, at the expense of trans women, it is working against its own cause."<ref>{{cite news |title=Transdebatten: –⁠ Transfobi hindrer kvinnekampen |url=https://www.vg.no/nyheter/meninger/i/WO7P0G/transdebatten-transfobi-hindrer-kvinnekampen |access-date=17 May 2024 |work=VG}}</ref> The Extremism Commission's report cited sources that pointed to "the connections between [[radical feminism]] and Christian conservatism" in relation to anti-trans activism, noting that "these are groups and individuals who use violent and dehumanizing language and are also threatening and extremely active."<ref>{{cite web |url =https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/nou-2024-3/id3027182/ |title =NOU 2024: 3: Felles innsats mot ekstremisme|date = 2024 |publisher =[[Government of Norway]] }}</ref> Norwegian feminist scholars have described these [[anti-gender movement]]s operating in the name of radical feminism in the Norwegian context as part of a "complex threat to democracy."<ref name="Engebretsen">{{cite book |last1=Engebretsen |first1=Elisabeth L.|author-link=Elisabeth L. Engebretsen |chapter=Scientizing Gender? An Examination of Anti-Gender Campaigns on Social Media, Norway |title=Populism and Science in Europe |pages=185–206|date=2022|isbn=978-3-030-97534-0|editor-last=Eslen-Ziya|editor-first=H.|editor-link=Hande Eslen-Ziya|editor2-last=Giorgi|editor2-first=A.|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|doi=10.1007/978-3-030-97535-7_9|chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97535-7_9}}</ref>


Despite Ottar's ties to various anti-trans actors and long-standing criticism over transphobia from the Red Party, the Red Youth, and LGBT+ rights groups, Ottar has been criticized by WDI's Norwegian branch for not being sufficiently anti-trans and for not actively campaigning against gender self-identification and other [[transgender rights]].<ref name=Kalvig>{{ Cite book |last=Kalvig|first=Anne| date = 2023 | title = Kjønnstru | isbn = 9788230361368 | location = Randaberg | publisher = Medvit | url = http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000028139 }}</ref>
Despite Ottar's ties to various anti-trans actors and long-standing criticism over transphobia from the Red Party, the Red Youth, and LGBT+ rights groups, Ottar has been criticized by WDI's Norwegian branch for not being sufficiently anti-trans and for not actively campaigning against gender self-identification and other [[transgender rights]].<ref name=Kalvig>{{ Cite book |last=Kalvig|first=Anne| date = 2023 | title = Kjønnstru | isbn = 9788230361368 | location = Randaberg | publisher = Medvit | url = http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000028139 }}</ref>

Revision as of 05:25, 17 May 2024

The Women's Group Ottar (Norwegian: Kvinnegruppa Ottar) is a Norwegian radical feminist women's organization founded in 1991. It has been described as the most radical women's organization[1] and "a final offshoot of 70s feminism."[2] While mainly focused on combating pornography and prostitution from a radical feminist perspective, Ottar has also faced criticism for at times promoting or tolerating anti-trans[3] and anti-Jewish views within its ranks,[4] and some prominent members have expressed supported for trans-exclusionary radical feminism.[5]

History

Kvinnegruppa Ottar has its historical roots in the Norwegian Maoist movement of the 1970s and the Women's Front. In 1991, the most radical and anti-pornography faction broke away from the Women's Front after disputes over views on pornography and prostitution. They formed loosely organized groups with different names: the first breakaway group formed the original Kvinnegruppa Ottar in Stavanger, while breakaway groups from Oslo and Bergen formed Kvinnegruppa Oslo Øst and Kvinneaktivistene. From 1993, they united under the name Kvinnegruppa Ottar, named after sex educator Elise Ottesen-Jensen, also nicknamed "Ottar." The groups emphasized a flat structure and were skeptical of formal and hierarchical organization, with individual groups being autonomous and collaborating sporadically in the early years. It wasn't until 2006 that Kvinnegruppa Ottar adopted a more formal structure with national meetings and a directly elected national board. In the 2020s, two breakaway groups focused exclusively on anti-trans politics were founded: Kvinneaktivistene and Women's Declaration International, with a significant overlap in membership with Ottar and the Women's Front.

Views

Kvinnegruppa Ottar is particularly focused on pornography and prostitution. In public debates, the group has strongly criticized organizations like the Norwegian Humanist Association and Amnesty International, linking them to an alleged "prostitution industry."[6] The Norwegian Humanist Association described Ottar's claims as unworthy of serious attention.[6] Ottar has accused queer people and the Norwegian Organisation for Sexual and Gender Diversity of working for prostitution as "a nice way to recruit young men into the gay community."[7] Daisy Sælen Hafstad and Vegard Rødseth Tokheim described Ottar's statements about Fri and queer people as "hate speech and conspiracy theories."[3]

Transgender people

Conspiracy theorist Kari Jaquesson has represented Ottar in public debates for several years, and has said publicly that "I'm a TERF"[5]

Ottar has been critical of the third wave of feminism that also emerged in the 1990s. In the debate on gender diversity, the group has often positioned itself against LGBT organizations and several members have supported trans-exclusionary radical feminism.[8][3] Ottar's most widely known member for several years, conspiracy theorist Kari Jaquesson, has stated that "I'm a TERF" and insisted that "a man can never become a woman."[5] Ottar has also participated in the anti-trans FiLiA conference, which is closely linked to Women's Declaration International (WDI), with FiLiA stating that "the Radical Feminist Activist group Ottar have been incredibly supportive to FiLiA over the years."[9] FiLiA is described as one of "the most important 'gender critical' groups" alongside WDI.[10] Numerous members of Ottar have signed WDI's anti-trans manifesto;[11] the secretary of Norway's Red Party, Benedikte Pryneid Hansen, criticized Ottar and the Women's Front for remaining silent about transphobia within their ranks and called upon them to clearly distance themselves from WDI.[12] In response, the Women's Front called WDI "transphobes, racists and sexists."[13]

At Ottar's 30th anniversary event in 2021, German anti-transgender activist Manu Schon, who is active within within Posie Parker's "Let Women Speak" movement and WDI in Germany, was invited to deliver a speech that promoted gender-critical or TERF talking points.[14] In 2022, Ottar and the Women's Front were criticized for proposing that non-binary people be stripped of their voting rights at the parole meeting for the March 8th march.[15] Feminists Anna-Sabina Soggiu and Susanne Demou criticized the radical feminist organizations for fostering "fabricated issues and threat scenarios" about transgender people.[16] Women's Front board member Natasha Alijeva stated that "it is undignified when the women's movement spreads fear about a vulnerable minority."[17]

Due to rising levels of transphobia in Norway, promoted in the name of radical feminism, 2476 feminists called for an inclusive feminism in a 2020 open letter.[18] An open letter by 2611 feminists was published in 2023, co-signed by the minister of equality.[19] In 2021 Alberte Bekkhus, the leader of the Red Youth, the youth organization of the Red Party that Ottar and the Women's Front are historically associated with, criticized the radical feminist organizations for transphobia, and said "if the women's movement allows transphobes in disguise as feminists, at the expense of trans women, it is working against its own cause."[20] The Extremism Commission's report cited sources that pointed to "the connections between radical feminism and Christian conservatism" in relation to anti-trans activism, noting that "these are groups and individuals who use violent and dehumanizing language and are also threatening and extremely active."[21] Norwegian feminist scholars have described these anti-gender movements operating in the name of radical feminism in the Norwegian context as part of a "complex threat to democracy."[22]

Despite Ottar's ties to various anti-trans actors and long-standing criticism over transphobia from the Red Party, the Red Youth, and LGBT+ rights groups, Ottar has been criticized by WDI's Norwegian branch for not being sufficiently anti-trans and for not actively campaigning against gender self-identification and other transgender rights.[13]

Jews

At the parole meeting for March 8th in Oslo in 2024, the leader of Kvinnegruppa Ottar in Oslo, its largest body, referred to a Jewish woman attending the meeting as a "Zionist pig". The statement was reported to the police as a hate speech incident, but the case was dismissed.[4][23] The dismissal was criticized by the Jewish community.[24] Following the "Zionist pig" incident at the parole meeting, Jewish women experienced being shouted at with "no Zionists in our streets" and were prevented from participating in the event by the organizers.[25][26][27][28]

Membership

Full membership with voting rights is only for women. Ottar's leader has clarified that Kvinnegruppa Ottar's concept of women includes trans women, and that trans women can therefore be full members.[29]

References

  1. ^ Stille ved fronten
  2. ^ Bodil Chr. Erichsen, Norske kvinners liv og kamp, Res Publica, 2017, ISBN 9788282261128
  3. ^ a b c Skremmende holdninger mot transpersoner fra norske TERF-feminister
  4. ^ a b "Feminist med jødisk bakgrunn kalt «sionistsvin» på 8. marsmøte". Dagen. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  5. ^ a b c Kari Jaquesson: «Mann kan ikke bli kvinne», Dagbladet
  6. ^ a b "Useriøst, Håland". Klassekampen. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  7. ^ – Legitimerer prostitusjon
  8. ^ Transpersoner og feminisme
  9. ^ "General Update". FiLiA. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  10. ^ Beck, Dorothee; Habed, Adriano José; Henninger, Annette. Blurring Boundaries – ‘Anti-Gender’ Ideology Meets Feminist and LGBTIQ+ Discourses. Verlag Barbara Budrich. p. 29. ISBN 9783847418573.
  11. ^ "Norske underskrifter". Women's Declaration International. Archived from the original on 2021-07-25. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  12. ^ Hansen, Benedikte Pryneid. "Nå koseprater Gjevjon med ABB-støttespiller Slåttavik". Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  13. ^ a b Kalvig, Anne (2023). Kjønnstru. Randaberg: Medvit. ISBN 9788230361368.
  14. ^ "Femzilla 2021". Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  15. ^ "– Opprør før kvinnedagen: Berre kvinner får stemme". NRK. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  16. ^ "– Er det virkelig hit vi har kommet i Oslos kvinnebevegelse?". Vårt Oslo. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  17. ^ Natasha Alijeva (2020-09-21). "Garderobepanikk". Klassekampen.
  18. ^ "Opprop for inkluderende kvinnekamp". Dagbladet. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  19. ^ "2611 feminister mot transfobi". Blikk. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Transdebatten: –⁠ Transfobi hindrer kvinnekampen". VG. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  21. ^ "NOU 2024: 3: Felles innsats mot ekstremisme". Government of Norway. 2024.
  22. ^ Engebretsen, Elisabeth L. (2022). "Scientizing Gender? An Examination of Anti-Gender Campaigns on Social Media, Norway". In Eslen-Ziya, H.; Giorgi, A. (eds.). Populism and Science in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 185–206. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-97535-7_9. ISBN 978-3-030-97534-0.
  23. ^ "Slik har politiet konkludert i «sionistsvin»-saken". Dagen. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  24. ^ "Er jøder beskyttet av straffeloven?". Dagen. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  25. ^ «Ingen sionister i våre gater»
  26. ^ Den organiserte venstresida gjør lurt i å lytte
  27. ^ Skrek «Ingen sionister i våre gater»: – Jeg blir skremt
  28. ^ Vi kan ikkje lenger vere tause og feige mot antisemittismen
  29. ^ Klassekampen 16. februar 2021
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