LAW REFORM

in NORWAY

A fixed article of faith in many minds is that Scandinavia has been "gay paradise" for uncounted years back; that deeply grounded "European culture" (so truly sophisticated, you know) has made of these cool Nordic lands islands of calm tolerance in contrast with the repressions found in "Catholic" Southern Europe or Bible Belt America.

The chances for doing much to change anyone's fixed articles of faith are small indeed. Still, it does seem that a report just received from Norway's "Forbundet av 1948" concerning the steps toward social and legal reform in that country should prove of interest to readers. It will be noticed that only in 1972 has Norway been able to shake off the bonds of repressive legislation of the sort still in effect in many, but not all, parts of the U.S. An intensive campaign was needed such as it took in England a few years back, to spur the legislative bodies into modernizing the laws effecting homosexual behavior in Norway.

A truly progressive achievement there was a substantial grant from their national Health Department to support the "Forbundet" educational program. "Forbundet" now has a fulltime General Secretary, first homophile organization in Scandinavia to support such a person, and second in Europe. Oddly enough, whereas both ONE and the Mattachine Society (San Francisco) have maintained public offices and employees corresponding to the duties of General Secretary ever since the early 1950s it has been only recently that such a practice has been duplicated in other parts of the U.S. and in Europe. The increase of such facilities today gives encouraging testimony of the growth in substance and maturity of the Homophile Movement both here and abroad.

Two of ONE's European Tours (1967, 1970) have had the pleasure of visiting Norway and of receiving a warm reception by the members of "Forbundet av 1948," now numbering 2,000 men and women. The following press release has just been received from Oslo.

NORWAY NEWS:

THE ABOLITION OF THE PENAL CLAUSE OF 1902 EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW FOR THE HOMOSEXUALS

10,000 kroner from the Health Department to the information-work.

Det Norske Forbundet of 1948 (The Norwegian Asso. of Homosexuals) 2000 members first in Scandinavia (2 in Europe) to have General Secretary on full time job.

Oslo, 20th June 1972

MOVES TOWARD LAW REFORM

In 1967 there was in Norway a 40% chance of homosexuals being socially rejected on the grounds of "unnatural feelings,' although 65% of those included in a survey did not look at sexual intercourse between grown ups of the same sex as a punishable offence. Thus the majority of those interviewed were willing to socially accept the homosexuals, also were in favour of doing away with the 1902 Penal Clause, they were nevertheless of the opinion that acceptance should be conditioned on the following:

1. Homosexuals should remain inconspicuouus.

2. Homosexuals should not talk about their "deviation" 3. Homosexuals should renounce any form of sexual relations.

The attitude towards homosexuals was at the same time both neutral, as well as condemnatory. Homosexuality was looked upon as something which was of no concern to society that is unless public interests were involved. As good manners called for silence on the subject of sexuality on the whole, the attitude towards homosexuality in particular, naturally enough was characterized by lack of knowledge, prejudices, religious influence and superstition.

No real kind of homosexual emancipation had yet reached Norway due to the public moral climate itself, but also due to a total lack of initiative from the homosexuals themselves.

Even if "Det Norske Forbundet av 1948" had at that time existed for 17 years, only sporadic attempts had been made, to defend human rights to which homosexuals were entitled as members of Norwegian society. "DNF 48" had totally ignored the fact that no progress could be made socially or legally unless the organization agreed upon a policy, which once and for all put an end to isolation. It was quite obvious that anonymity and isolation a kind of ghetto-existence rather fortified the feeling of homosexuals as being deviates, giving the public the impression that homosexuals are not normal.

The situation called for an alteration in the very homosexual mentality and 1967 was in fact to become the year of total change the year when information and communication proclaimed the fight for human rights. FURTHER PROGRESS IN 1970 According to §213 in the Norwegian Penal Clause of 1902, male homosexuality regardless of age was a criminal offence. The aim above all therefore, was to see to it that §213 was done away with, and that equality before the law was achieved.