Kajsa Ekman

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Kajsa Ekis Ekman at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney
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Kajsa "Ekis" Ekman (1980–) is a Swedish trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) and pro-Russian debater. Described in Dagens NyheterWikipedia as a "leading figure in the new transphobic movement,"[1] she is the author of several anti-trans articles and a book, and has been a columnist at some of the larger newspapers in Sweden. In 2022 she was fired by the Swedish left-wing newspaper Dagens ETC after she had claimed that Russian propaganda broadcaster RT publishes "very solid journalism." Later in 2022 she was hired and then fired only a week later as editor of the left-wing newspaper ArbetarenWikipedia, after the entire board and several staff members had resigned in protest over her hiring.[2][3] She has also contributed to fringe publications such as the "red-brown" conspiracy theorist website Steigan.no.[4][5] She is a recipient of the Lenin Award, founded by Swedish Maoist Jan MyrdalWikipedia.

TERF[edit]

Ekman has become known as the most prominent trans-exclusionary radical feminist in Sweden and been described in Dagens NyheterWikipedia as a "leading figure in the new transphobic movement."[1] Ekman participated in the Swedish launch of the anti-trans group Women's Declaration InternationalWikipedia (WDI) in Sweden in 2020.[4] She has also appeared in WDI's "Feminist Question Time" podcast.[6]

In 2018 the radical feminist National Organisation for Women’s Shelters and Young Women's Shelters in SwedenWikipedia said that Ekman's anti-trans views were inconsistent with their beliefs and mission to serve "all those who identity as women and girls," and cancelled a planned talk with Ekman in response to statements she had made about trans women.[7] Maria Ramnehill argued in 2018 that Ekman spreads scaremongering propaganda about trans women.[8]

In 2021 she published an anti-trans book titled Om könets existens (On the existence of sex) about the supposed threat from "gender ideology." The book was criticized for relying on far-right "fake news sources"[9] and depicting trans women as a threat.[10] The Norwegian newspaper MorgenbladetWikipedia described the book's anti-trans rhetoric as "abhorrent" and noted that "it is debatable whether this book deserves any discussion at all."[11] Norwegian feminist Maria Horvei wrote that Ekman's "onesided" book argues against strawmen.[12] The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender RightsWikipedia published a book titled 100 fel i 'Om könets existens' that argued that her book contained numerous inaccuracies and dubious sources.[13] In 2021, the Swedish Forum for Gender Studies cancelled a discussion of Ekman's book, stating that "the Forum for Gender Studies is not a place for transphobia and anti-trans hate".[14]

Pro-Russian views[edit]

Ekman has been widely known for her pro-Putin or Putin-apologetic views for several years. In 2022 she was fired by the left-wing daily Dagens ETC for promoting Russian propaganda, after she had claimed that RT publishes "very solid journalism" and parroted Russian propaganda claims about "Ukrainian Nazis," with reference to The Kyiv IndependentWikipedia. The chief editor of Dagens ETC, Andreas Gustavsson, said he had fired Ekman because she had "whitewashed RT and what they are up to in the world."[15]

Hired and fired as newspaper editor[edit]

A few months after she was fired by ETC, she was hired and then fired only a week later as editor of the anarcho-syndicalist newspaper ArbetarenWikipedia, after the entire board and several staff members had resigned in protest over her hiring, citing her pro-Russian and anti-transgender views. The case received widespread media attention in Sweden.[16][17]

Writings on conspiracy blog Steigan[edit]

She has written about 40 articles for the "red-brown" and pro-Putinist conspiracy theorist website Steigan.no. An article in Workers' Liberty noted:

Among the Putinist propaganda and antisemitism that fills Steigan’s website are numerous contributions from Kajsa “Ekis” Ekman, a prominent transphobic feminist and associate of the Communist Party (Sweden), who co-founded the Swedish branch of Women's Declaration InternationalWikipedia[4]

Award[edit]

In 2020 she received the Lenin Award, an award founded by Swedish Maoist Jan MyrdalWikipedia.[18][19]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Därför stormar det på tidningen Arbetaren igen". Dagens NyheterWikipedia. 
  2. Kajsa Ekis Ekman formellt uppsagd från Arbetaren
  3. Kajsa Ekis Ekman sparkas: ”De kan glömma att jag lämnar jobbet”
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Collaboration between transphobic feminists and the far right — some facts ("Among the Putinist propaganda and antisemitism that fills Steigan’s website are numerous contributions from Kajsa “Ekis” Ekman, a prominent transphobic feminist and associate of the Communist Party (Sweden), who co-founded the Swedish branch of Women’s Declaration International")
  5. Kajsa Ekis Ekman in Steigan.no
  6. "Feminist Question Time". WDI. 
  7. "Uttalande angående Kajsa Ekis Ekmans deltagande på Roks konferens 20 februari". 
  8. Ramnehill, Maria. "Ekis Ekman sprider skrämselpropaganda om transkvinnor". Göteborgs-Posten. 
  9. Samuelsson, Sanna (28 April 2021). "Recension: Fake news-källor i Ekis Ekmans nya bok". Göteborgs-Posten. 
  10. Sandberg, Linn. "Om transkvinnan som hot". Respons. 
  11. "Kan diskuteres om boken i det hele tatt fortjener omtale". Morgenbladet. 16 July 2021. 
  12. Horvei, Maria (10 September 2021). "Å vere eller ikkje få vere". Vinduet. 
  13. "100 fel i “Om könets existens”". RFSL. 
  14. "Universitet ställde in seminarium om Kajsa Ekis Ekmans bok". Sveriges Television. 
  15. Dagens ETC bryter med Ekis Ekman
  16. ”Fejden är ett tragikomiskt offentligt sammanbrott”
  17. Ekis Ekman sparkas från Arbetaren – efter kritiken ([Ekis Ekman fired by Arbetaren – after the criticism]
  18. Leninprisen til Kajsa Ekis Ekman, Steigan.no
  19. Kajsa Ekis Ekman, Leninpriset

External links[edit]