This year is a skewed cultural year and 50 years since sex between men was decriminalized in Norway. Many people think that it is becoming easier and easier to stand out as queer.
But in one place it is much more difficult to be open about one’s own orientation: Behind the walls.
The Association for Gender and Sexuality Diversity (FRI) and prison leaders in several of the country’s prisons know of several queers who are serving a sentence, but who are not open about their orientation for fear of what might happen if they tell.
Was shocked
This was something Simen Iskariot Larsen (37) also experienced, when he served time in Oslo prison in 2015 and 2016.
He was shocked at how other inmates described gays.
– The attitude among many inmates is “Eh, do you know anyone who is gay? I am getting nauseous”. When this is the tone of the review, there are many who do not dare to be honest about their own orientation, says Larsen to TV 2.
– SHOCKED: When Simen Iskariot Larsen himself was imprisoned, he was very surprised at how other inmates described gays. Photo: Ingvill Drægni / TV 2
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After living in Oslo’s drug environment for many years, he knows that there are many gay men in this environment. He was therefore surprised at how few queer people he met within the walls.
– Either they are better at not being caught by the police, otherwise they are not open. I have great faith that it is the latter, he says and adds:
– I think prison is one of the most difficult places to be queer in Norway.
– More important than ever
In early July, Larsen, like everyone else, was released when he woke up to the news of the night shooting in Oslo, where two people were killed and 21 injured.
Although the motive for the accused, Zaniar Matapour, is not yet known, the police security service and the police in Oslo believe that there has been contact between Matapour and the well-known Islamist Arfan Bhatti.
The week before this year’s Pride celebration, Bhatti posted a text on social media, which could be interpreted as an incitement to kill gays.
– Even though we do not know the background for the shooting, I feel that our work is more important than ever, says Simen Iskariot Larsen.
– My proudest moment
After his time in prison, Larsen knows several convicts who are both exposed to violence behind the walls and are spoken of condescendingly – just because of their orientation.
– NEW LIFE: Simen Iskariot Larsen is a former drug addict and criminal. Now he is drug-free, at work and studying criminology. Photo: Ingvill Drægni / TV 2
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The 37-year-old wanted to do something about it. That was the reason why he took the initiative last autumn for the world’s first Pride parade in a prison.
– Seeing the little Pride train inside the prison walls was absolutely magical and my proudest moment so far in a work context, says Larsen and his eyes glaze over.
His mantra is that we must all learn to accept each other, regardless of orientation – both outside and inside the walls.
After serving his sentence, the 37-year-old began working in the radio program RøverRadion in addition to studying criminology.
In connection with his studies, he has had several conversations with prison researchers, who confirm that very few inmates choose to be openly gay.
– I understand that people do not dare to be open, when the attitudes among many prisoners are so negative. I know of people who have been subjected to incitement and violence because of this, and these incidents make it even more important to put Pride and openness on the agenda in Norwegian prisons, says Larsen.
He hopes that openness can change attitudes.
– If the work we do with Pride in prison can only make the life of one person a little easier, then all this is worth it, says Larsen.
Open prison manager
It is not only inmates who are afraid of appearing as queer in prison.
Nils Leyell Finstad, who has been openly gay for almost 40 years, started working as a prison manager in Oslo prison three years ago. He remembers well that he dreaded and had reservations about being a prison warden in a men’s prison, after many years as a prison warden at Bredtveit women’s prison.
– GOING AHEAD: Nils Leyell Finstad works for better conditions for queers in Oslo prison. Photo: Frode Sunde / TV 2
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– I had thoughts about how my colleagues and especially the inmates would react to my orientation, says Leyell Finstad.
But it turned out that the prison warden had nothing to fear.
He has only experienced very few cases of negativity or had comments thrown at him. He hopes people inside the walls can learn something from his story.
– Often it is the very fear of telling that is most destructive. Walking around feeling vulnerable and insecure can easily lead to self-isolation. And I am worried about that, and can lead to poor mental health on the wrong basis, says Leyell Finstad.
Attitude change
Leyell Finstad has long worked to make all inmates feel safe – regardless of orientation. And he sees that a lot of positive things have happened on this front in recent years.
– All prisoners should feel included and experience equality and respect, regardless of gender, social background, functional ability, ethnicity, religion and thus sexual orientation, he says.
Last year, Oslo Prison was the first prison in Norway to hoist the Pride flag. Something they of course have done this year as well.
– KNOWLEDGE: The library in Oslo prison is full of books and films depicting queer love. Photo: Frode Sunde / TV 2
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– We hope that both the flag raising, the conversations about Pride within the walls, and that we show films and have books and magazines available in the library about queer love are important contributors to create and change attitudes, says the prison manager and praises RøverRadion, Jussbuss and Fri to publish a groundbreaking information guide for queer inmates.
The prison manager believes that being a prison in the capital, a city with great diversity at all levels, is obligatory.
– Our employees should not take for granted that an inmate is heterosexual, it is a very important starting point for me. We will send out signals about diversity and tolerance. This can probably be especially important in a masculine environment where the heteronormative perspectives can benefit from being set aside a bit, says Leyell Finstad.
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