Iceland: the world's most feminist country

**frostyboy** · 27th-March-2010

Written by Julie Bindel for The Guardian:

Iceland: the world's most feminist country

Iceland is fast becoming a world-leader in feminism. A country with a tiny population of 320,000, it is on the brink of achieving what many considered to be impossible: closing down its sex industry.

While activists in Britain battle on in an attempt to regulate lapdance clubs – the number of which has been growing at an alarming rate during the last decade – Iceland has passed a law that will result in every strip club in the country being shut down. And forget hiring a topless waitress in an attempt to get around the bar: the law, which was passed with no votes against and only two abstentions, will make it illegal for any business to profit from the nudity of its employees.

Even more impressive: the Nordic state is the first country in the world to ban stripping and lapdancing for feminist, rather than religious, reasons. Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir, the politician who first proposed the ban, firmly told the national press on Wednesday: "It is not acceptable that women or people in general are a product to be sold." When I asked her if she thinks Iceland has become the greatest feminist country in the world, she replied: "It is certainly up there. Mainly as a result of the feminist groups putting pressure on parliamentarians. These women work 24 hours a day, seven days a week with their campaigns and it eventually filters down to all of society."

The news is a real boost to feminists around the world, showing us that when an entire country unites behind an idea anything can happen. And it is bound to give a shot in the arm to the feminist campaign in the UK against an industry that is both a cause and a consequence of gaping inequality between men and women.

According to Icelandic police, 100 foreign women travel to the country annually to work in strip clubs. It is unclear whether the women are trafficked, but feminists say it is telling that as the stripping industry has grown, the number of Icelandic women wishing to work in it has not. Supporters of the bill say that some of the clubs are a front for prostitution – and that many of the women work there because of drug abuse and poverty rather than free choice. I have visited a strip club in Reykjavik and observed the women. None of them looked happy in their work.

So how has Iceland managed it? To start with, it has a strong women's movement and a high number of female politicans. Almost half the parliamentarians are female and it was ranked fourth out of 130 countries on the international gender gap index (behind Norway, Finland and Sweden). All four of these Scandinavian countries have, to some degree, criminalised the purchase of sex (legislation that the UK will adopt on 1 April). "Once you break past the glass ceiling and have more than one third of female politicians," says Halldórsdóttir, "something changes. Feminist energy seems to permeate everything."

Johanna Sigurðardottir is Iceland's first female and the world's first openly lesbian head of state. Guðrún Jónsdóttir of Stígamót, an organisation based in Reykjavik that campaigns against sexual violence, says she has enjoyed the support of Sigurðardottir for their campaigns against rape and domestic violence: "Johanna is a great feminist in that she challenges the men in her party and refuses to let them oppress her."

Then there is the fact that feminists in Iceland appear to be entirely united in opposition to prostitution, unlike the UK where heated debates rage over whether prostitution and lapdancing are empowering or degrading to women. There is also public support: the ban on commercial sexual activity is not only supported by feminists but also much of the population. A 2007 poll found that 82% of women and 57% of men support the criminalisation of paying for sex – either in brothels or lapdance clubs – and fewer than 10% of Icelanders were opposed.

Jónsdóttir says the ban could mean the death of the sex industry. "Last year we passed a law against the purchase of sex, recently introduced an action plan on trafficking of women, and now we have shut down the strip clubs. The Nordic countries are leading the way on women's equality, recognising women as equal citizens rather than commodities for sale."

Strip club owners are, not surprisingly, furious about the new law. One gave an interview to a local newspaper in which he likened Iceland's approach to that of a country such as Saudi Arabia, where it is not permitted to see any part of a woman's body in public. "I have reached the age where I'm not sure whether I want to bother with this hassle any more," he said.

Janice Raymond, a director of Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, hopes that all sex industry profiteers feel the same way, and believes the new law will pave the way for governments in other countries to follow suit. "What a victory, not only for the Icelanders but for everyone worldwide who repudiates the sexual exploitation of women," she says.

Jónsdóttir is confident that the law will create a change in attitudes towards women. "I guess the men of Iceland will just have to get used to the idea that women are not for sale."

**RebelliousVanilla** · 27th-March-2010

I'd move to Iceland regardless. They're actually a people, unlike the pathetic farce that most countries are today.

**Percy** · 27th-March-2010

it has a strong women's movement and a high number of female politicans. Almost half the parliamentarians are female and it was ranked fourth out of 130 countries on the international gender gap index

It is also the first country that went completely bankrupt leaving every man, woman and child with enormous debts that they will never be able to pay off.

**byslexic_danana** · 27th-March-2010

Quote from Trollop

I have visited a strip club in Reykjavik and observed the women.

Yes, I bet you have, Julie, you filthy little dyke.

**RebelliousVanilla** · 27th-March-2010

Quote from Percy

It is also the first country that went completely bankrupt leaving every man, woman and child with enormous debts that they will never be able to pay off.

That's because it's a small country. Just wait until the UK, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the US go bankrupt. Romania will go bankrupt too, but our debts are just 25% of GDP.

**Celtic Druid** · 27th-March-2010

Mainly as a result of the feminist groups putting pressure on parliamentarians. These women work 24 hours a day, seven days a week with their campaigns and it eventually filters down to all of society."

In the political as in the personal, feminists and women work on the technique of wearing men down through repetition, manipulation and blackmail, with chivalry lubricating the gynocentric process.

So how has Iceland managed it? To start with, it has a strong women's movement and a high number of female politicans. Almost half the parliamentarians are female

Yep, the more female politicians a country has the greater proclivity for tyranny do you find.

Given that the most vocal of female politicians worldwide are feminists (where are the vocal conservative women?), it seems concessions are handed out to those that can shout the loudest (and hold the swing vote in elections), not actually where it's most needed.

"Once you break past the glass ceiling and have more than one third of female politicians," says Halldórsdóttir, "something changes. Feminist energy seems to permeate everything."

Yes, just as with any infestation it'll eventually permeate everything, but that doesn't make it a positive step. In historical terms all negative energies eventually permeated those they sought to conquer. Must we revisit this again?

"Johanna is a great feminist in that she challenges the men in her party and refuses to let them oppress her."

No, she just oppresses them for an imaginary past. What a monumental sexist old Johanna is eh?

Jónsdóttir says the ban could mean the death of the sex industry.

I wonder if that extends to the other more socially acceptable aspects of the the sex industry ........... dating, marriage and divorce?

**Zuberi** · 27th-March-2010

Iceland is fast becoming a world-leader in feminism. A country with a tiny population of 320,000, it is on the brink of achieving what many considered to be impossible: closing down its sex industry.

Yeah, just ignore the fact that this country went bankrupt and that it will be easy for the NWO to enslave. I wonder how chaotic and backwards Iceland truly is?
I'm not going to take the word of some media lackey whose paid to destroy the truth.

**zetamale** · 31st-March-2010

Well iceland went bankrupt AFTER putting women in charge of all the banks

also there was a female PM prior to this one, shes just hte first one thats also a lesbian

i did a bit of research on Iceland and "feminism" not sure what to make of it, i get how feminism emerged, and i looked at a new policy and im not sure what to make of it Rise of the Zeta Male: Iceland-The Most Feminist Country in the World?

its not egalitarian, and its not quite women dominated but it has a slippery slope to it, however cultural relativism kicks in and can make this a rather confusing topic....(dont get me wrong i dont support this at all, but i cant make the ultimate judgement)

**Percy** · 1st-April-2010

It is also cold there.

And they fight over cod.

**shaazam** · 1st-April-2010

""I wonder if that extends to the other more socially acceptable aspects of the the sex industry ........... dating, marriage and divorce?"" Percy

dating and marriage will get the thumbs up from the feminits as it leads to lucrative divorce actions for feminits a little down the line

**RebelliousVanilla** · 1st-April-2010

Quote from zetamale

Well iceland went bankrupt AFTER putting women in charge of all the banks

also there was a female PM prior to this one, shes just hte first one thats also a lesbian

i did a bit of research on Iceland and "feminism" not sure what to make of it, i get how feminism emerged, and i looked at a new policy and im not sure what to make of it Rise of the Zeta Male: Iceland-The Most Feminist Country in the World?

its not egalitarian, and its not quite women dominated but it has a slippery slope to it, however cultural relativism kicks in and can make this a rather confusing topic....(dont get me wrong i dont support this at all, but i cant make the ultimate judgement)

Greenspan, Bernanke, Paulsen, all the idiots in Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citi were men. Your point is?

**shaazam** · 1st-April-2010

good pont RV !

the USA has had its 250 years and gone through the growth maturity and I believe is in the decay cycle I would believe the financial collapse is only a symptom of this decay - looks like Red China India and South East Asia will be the new bellwethers of technology and industrial output not Australia -

our manufacturing industry is being exported to Asia we rely on tertiary sales like education - foreign sudents pay for big fees for education by Australian universities - and exporting mining products iron ore and sand minerals and primary produce wool meat fruits and vegetables and sea foods as fish and crustaceanc as prawns lobsters tourism is pretty big here too

this country too is being feminised sad to say with their language of PC rampant in the media and political commentry - straight talking is anathema to our PC Beware the Sky is Falling PM I hope he and his theatrical Keystone Kops Cabinet get kicked to Kingdom Come this year in our federal election;(

**nevosopelo** · 1st-April-2010

It is a brilliant example of what the lesbian feminazi will do to a country once is taken over by them.

Even more impressive: the Nordic state is the first country in the world to ban stripping and lapdancing for feminist, rather than religious, reasons. Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir, the politician who first proposed the ban, firmly told the national press on Wednesday: "It is not acceptable that women or people in general are a product to be sold." When I asked her if she thinks Iceland has become the greatest feminist country in the world, she replied: "It is certainly up there. Mainly as a result of the feminist groups putting pressure on parliamentarians. These women work 24 hours a day, seven days a week with their campaigns and it eventually filters down to all of society."

The first thing to note from this excerpt is that there is no freedom of choice. Women are obliged to do as they are told by the feminazi leader. Just like in NAZI Germany with the lesbian gestapo police. If a woman decides she wants to be a product to be sold, in a democratic country she should be able to do so. In the UK it happens every day in the family courts. Quote "The news is a real boost to feminists around the world, showing us that when an entire country unites behind an idea anything can happen. And it is bound to give a shot in the arm to the feminist campaign in the UK against an industry that is both a cause and a consequence of gaping inequality between men and women."

Not to have freedom of choice is the primary inquality against women as they are constrain to be what the feminazi say they ought to be. Thus, they are applying those principles to women which were fought over the last 60 years.

The difference here is that the oppresor is not men but women's fanaticism. Make no mistake!

NEVO

**Celtic Druid** · 1st-April-2010

Quote from shaazam

""I wonder if that extends to the other more socially acceptable aspects of the the sex industry ........... dating, marriage and divorce?"" Percy

dating and marriage will get the thumbs up from the feminits as it leads to lucrative divorce actions for feminits a little down the line

That quote Shaz, for what it's worth, should be attributed to me.

**rohara** · 1st-April-2010

All of this has nothing to do with protecting women who are supposedly caught up in some fantastic “human trafficking” ring. Nor does it have to do with the idea of men objectifying women to the extent that they are being sold like any other product. It is obvious to a normal person that women are selling a service. When you tip a waiter are you objectifying them?
This whole thing is due to the fact that feminists HATE all types of male agency such as the desire to be an involved father, succeed at work, and challenge themselves and a host of other things. At the top of that list for feminists is male sexual agency. Male sexual agency is attacked at every turn when feminists have their way. They LOVE to talk about how women are sexually repressed and are not allowed to express their sexuality without being called a whore. Yet men are circumcised at birth leaving them with a diminished ability to enjoy sex that they will never appreciate. Men are also made to feel ashamed when they reach puberty and start to masturbate. In spite of the fact that porn had PROVEN not to have any correlation to dysfunction in men as a whole there is still a very active war against it led by feminists.
Feminists are pissed off at the thought of a man getting off on looking at naked women not so much because he might be objectifying her but simply because he is getting off. That’s all there is to it.