Sex change operation in Avicii's MV

[Fishwings]

Electronic Dance Music has been really huge these years (much to my happiness, and many other people's headaches hehe), and one of the new artists that has risen to fame is Avicii.

 

I came across this video awhile ago and thought it was very surprising as I have never seen sex reassignment surgery/transgender related topics presented as the primary subject and in such a blatant manner in such a mainstream video. In my opinion, I think Avicii is doing a great thing for the LGBT community, especially transgendered individuals, by giving them more exposure.

 

What do you guys think of this? Do you think the matter was presented in a good way or was it still very stereotyped?

 

 

[Maximoff]

I think it's very nice. And humerous. Especially in the beginning when she's watching a cooking show and the chef cuts the zuccini in half. 

 

I don't think that the movie was stereotyped at all. It was very contemporary for Sweden (Avicii's from Sweden). A lot of focus on GLBT politics is now directed towards the transgendered and transsexuals. I'm not sure how big the media has reached foreign press, but Sweden recently abolished the 'mental illness' classification (2010). There also used to be rules for those that wished to do a sex reassignment surgery. You'd have to have been a swedish citizen, unmarried as well as sterile. The first two rules were removed 2010 and 2012 but the part about being sterile was a big debate last year. You would hear at lunch rooms and cafés how people would debate wether it was right or wrong for there to be such a rule... But as of 10th of January 2013 that law is now obsolete.

 

 

Link to All Out's online petition that was for the descrimination of transsexuals in Sweden.

 

 

The song is nice too.

[Fishwings]

I think it's very nice. And humerous. Especially in the beginning when she's watching a cooking show and the chef cuts the zuccini in half. 

 

I don't think that the movie was stereotyped at all. It was very contemporary for Sweden (Avicii's from Sweden). A lot of focus on GLBT politics is now directed towards the transgendered and transsexuals. I'm not sure how big the media has reached foreign press, but Sweden recently abolished the 'mental illness' classification (2010). There also used to be rules for those that wished to do a sex reassignment surgery. You'd have to have been a swedish citizen, unmarried as well as sterile. The first two rules were removed 2010 and 2012 but the part about being sterile was a big debate last year. You would hear at lunch rooms and cafés how people would debate wether it was right or wrong for there to be such a rule... But as of 10th of January 2013 that law is now obsolete.

 

 

Link to All Out's online petition that was for the descrimination of transsexuals in Sweden.

 

 

The song is nice too.

 

I don't know much about Sweden but from the little that I have heard, is that you guys have a very progressive and successful medical/educational/governmental system. I know Sweden is one of the few countries in the world that has legalized euthanasia. It's nice to hear that they're taking also taking measures to ensure equality towards the LGBT community too!

 

Also I agree, the song rocks

Edited February 4, 2013 by FishWings

[Maximoff]

I don't know much about Sweden but from the little that I have heard, is that you guys have a very progressive and successful medical/educational/governmental system. I know Sweden is one of the few countries in the world that has legalized euthanasia. It's nice to hear that they're taking also taking measures to ensure equality towards the LGBT community too!

 

Also I agree, the song rocks

 

Euthanasia isn't legal in Sweden yet. But there was a brief debate about it. Not sure if it will pass anytime soon. I think you might be thinking of Switzerland. 

But we do have a quite succesful medical system. It's still debatable if the educational and government system is up to par. As a teacher at the university I've often asked myself "Why am I still going through basic concepts that they should've picked up in high school?"

 

We have come far in equality in the LG( letters. It's just the T that's lagging behind. Sometimes I think we've become too accomodating since there was some right wing politician (remember that right wing swedish is still a lot more left wing than the liberals are) wrote a debate article recently about maybe polygamy would not be such a bad idea after all... 

[Fishwings]

Euthanasia isn't legal in Sweden yet. But there was a brief debate about it. Not sure if it will pass anytime soon. I think you might be thinking of Switzerland. 

But we do have a quite succesful medical system. It's still debatable if the educational and government system is up to par. As a teacher at the university I've often asked myself "Why am I still going through basic concepts that they should've picked up in high school?"

 

We have come far in equality in the LG( letters. It's just the T that's lagging behind. Sometimes I think we've become too accomodating since there was some right wing politician (remember that right wing swedish is still a lot more left wing than the liberals are) wrote a debate article recently about maybe polygamy would not be such a bad idea after all... 

 

Oh really? I have always heard otherwise, and I always thought that their education system was ranked amongst the highest in the world. Shows that an insider's perspective often varies from/is more accurate than an outsider's. Would you say that Sweden is far ahead of its times (say in comparison to the US) in terms of its LGBT equality?

 

And LOL. Actually, my friend did a lot of research on polyamorous relationships and said that the ones present in developed countries are actually stable and excellent relationships, but that's a story for another day.

[Maximoff]

I would say that Sweden is HBT-equal. At least if you compare with large cities like Stockholm. I am unsure how it is in smaller villages in rural Sweden though. My ex boyfriend was very open about his sexuality and he lived in a small town of 200 people. We could hold hands in public and hug and everything! (although PDA wasn't big for either of us). 

 

Sweden's so liberal that Fred Phelps has taken it upon himself to make a quite elaborate website dedicated to why God hates Sweden. 

 

We're not there yet. At least with polygamy. At least in my mind. 

[Fishwings]

I would say that Sweden is HBT-equal. At least if you compare with large cities like Stockholm. I am unsure how it is in smaller villages in rural Sweden though. My ex boyfriend was very open about his sexuality and he lived in a small town of 200 people. We could hold hands in public and hug and everything! (although PDA wasn't big for either of us). 

 

Sweden's so liberal that Fred Phelps has taken it upon himself to make a quite elaborate website dedicated to why God hates Sweden. 

 

We're not there yet. At least with polygamy. At least in my mind. 

 

That is amazing to hear actually, makes me a little bit wistful! I live in a very multicultural city in canada with a fair sized gay community but I would say it's definitely not HBT-equal yet (laws are equal, prejudices still exist in the mind). 

 

Are the taxes high in Sweden? I'm assuming all the governmental progressions need funding

[Maximoff]

Taxes are high, but we get a lot of things cheaper. Healthcare (dental included), education system is free. Etc. I'm still young, so not sure what all my taxes go to, but my monthly expenses is not very high. 

[Maximoff]

The swedish crown princess Victoria handed out the award for this year's HBT personality at this year's QX Award (it's like an award show for the gay community of Sweden) last night.

My mind is blown. It just shows how far along we've come...