Over the years, RFSL Stockholm has awarded prizes to people and organizations that have been significant in increasing the rights of LGBTI people in Sweden and in Stockholm, and at the same time, paid attention to those who have done the opposite. Here are this year's award winners!
The Rainbow Prize 2021
RFSL Stockholm awards this year's Rainbow Prize to Jacko Nilsson.
The Rainbow Award is given to a person or an organization that has achieved something positive for our LGBTI community during the past year. Through the award, we want to recognize and celebrate someone who, for example, has worked for our rights, started new meeting places or who in a positive way has made one of the groups that are part of our community visible. Someone who has dared and persevered when it was really needed.
For several years, Jacko has organized the national trans school for children. Through his involvement in Transammans and RFSL Ungdom, he has contributed to young trans people and their families having a safe place to stay, gaining more knowledge and being able to draw much-needed strength to meet everyday challenges.
We would like to thank you, Jacko, for your invaluable work to make society better for young trans people and their families. You are a true inspiration to us all.
Old Heroes Award 2021
RFSL Stockholm presents this year's Old Heroes Award to Steve Sjöquist.
The Old Heroes Award is given to a person who has made important contributions to our LGBTI community. The prize exists to remember our Swedish LGBTI history, to pay tribute to people who were ahead of their time and who, through their work, have both touched and inspired their and future generations.
With the Old Heroes Award, RFSL Stockholm would like to thank Steve for his many years of commitment to HIV issues. Steve was an active volunteer at Noaks Ark and worked a lot with education. For many years, Steve worked for the United Student Unions of Sweden with the project Knowledge, Sense and Sensibilityt at the country's student unions. Steve has written several books and has been a frequent lecturer both in Sweden and abroad.
Steve, you are a true hero to whom all of us in the LGBTI community owe so much.
Pink thistles 2021
RFSL Stockholm awards this year's Pink Thistle to the management of Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital Karolinska.
The Pink Thistle is awarded to a person or an organization that, during the past year, has done something that has negatively affected the life situation or rights of LGBTI people.
The management of the Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital Karolinska in Stockholm adopted a new guideline for hormone therapy for people under the age of 18 with gender dysphoria in the spring. The decision to adopt the new guideline, which means, among other things, that people who do not already have a treatment plan can only receive hormone therapy within the framework of a research study, has been criticized by, among others, SFTH (the professional association for all those who work with gender-affirming care).
RFSL Stockholm finds it remarkable that the staff working with patients with gender dysphoria were not consulted before the decision was made. It is our hope that the management of Astrid Lindgren's Children's Hospital Karolinska will reconsider their decision and come up with a guideline that better takes into account the profession's collective knowledge and experience and finds an appropriate balance between, on the one hand, the obvious interest in high patient safety and, on the other hand, the negative consequences that lack of treatment leads to in the form of increased suicide risk and suffering.
