National Association for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People

FRI – foreningen for kjønns- og seksualitetsmangfold (English: FRI – The Norwegian Organization for Sexual and Gender Diversity), formerly called Landsforeningen for lesbiske, homofile, bifile og transpersoner (LLH) (English: The National Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People), is the main Norwegian member organization representing the interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in Norway. Inge Alexander Gjestvang became president of the organization in 2020.[1]

Entrance to the offices of the Norwegian Forbundet av 1948, photographed in 1988

National Association for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People
Founded1949/1992
HeadquartersOslo
President
Inge Alexander Gjestvang
Websiteforeningenfri.no

History

The organization had its early beginnings in 1949, when the Danish Forbundet af 1948 accepted two representatives in Norway. The Norwegian branch of the Danish Forbundet af 1948 was formally inaugurated 20 May 1950, thereby becoming the first Norwegian organization for gays and the start of organized work for gay rights in Norway. In 1953, the organization's name was changed to Det norske forbundet av 1948 (DNF 48). At this time, homosexuality was a criminal offence in Norway, in addition to being a psychiatric diagnosis. The organization worked in secrecy out of concern for criminal prosecution and discrimination. It would take 15 years before someone began to openly represent the organization: Karen-Christine Friele (Kim), who from 1965 was the openly lesbian editor of DNF's first journal, OSS (English: US). In 1968, Kim Friele took over as leader of DNF 48, and from 1971 to 1989 she acted as secretary general of the organization.

In 1976, DNF 48 was split into factions, one of the factions becoming Fellesrådet for homofile organisasjoner (English: Joint council for gay organizations). The factions were again united when LLH was created 29 November 1992. At the national congress in June 2008, the organization's name was changed from Landsforeningen for lesbisk og homofil frigjøring (English: The National Association for Lesbian and Gay Liberation) to LLH, which had formerly been the abbreviation. LLH now stood for Landsforeningen for lesbiske, homofile, bifile og transpersoner (English: The National Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People). At the national congress In 2016, the organization's name was changed to FRI – foreningen for kjønns- og seksualitetsmangfold.[2][3]

In February 2014, the Amnesty International and the National Association for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People called on the Norwegian government to modify current laws and practices, guarantee the termination of the sterilization requirement, allow for gender recognition to be accessible to everyone, and allow transgender people to be able to access the health treatments and procedures they wish to be done, all in an attempt to attack the lack of rights for transgender people in Europe.[4]

Activities

The organization works for equality and against all forms of discrimination based on gender or sexuality in Norway and in the rest of the world, as stated in the organization's policy paper.[5] It is a partner body of the Global Equality Fund run by the United States Department of State.[6] The organization had about 4,100 members in 2022.[7]

See also

References
  1. Ny leder!
  2. "Å finne ut av sin egen seksualitet er ikke alltid lett. Her er noen råd på veien" [Finding out about one's own sexuality is not always easy. Here are some tips on the road.]. Aftenposten (in Norwegian). 13 April 2016.
  3. "LLH skifter navn: FRI - Foreningen for kjønns og seksualitetsmangfold" [LLH changes name: FRI...] (in Norwegian). FTPN - Forbundet for Transpersoner i Norge. 4 April 2016.
  4. "Norway: Historic breakthrough for transgender right". Human Rights Documents Online. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  5. "FRI policy paper". Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  6. "About the Fund", U.S. Department of State
  7. "Organisasjon". FRI. Retrieved 7 April 2022.


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