Jan-Olov Madeleine Ågren has worked with questions about discrimination since 2000 within RFSL and the transvestite union FPE-S and as a volunteer for the “Red Cross” where he, since may this year, works fulltime with helping people who has been treated in a violating and offensive way in different situations.
Jan-Olov has a master of cicil engineering in comupter technics and earlier worked on the Thecnical University as a lecturer. When the number of students every year decreased and after he finally had to leave, he started working at the red cross.
His own experiences as a transvestitet, which earlier had been a bother and a load, suddenly beacame an asset and a qualification. He got the job in competition with about one hundred applicants.
-We work alot woth discimination. Our mission is to work with all the basics which is now registered in the law: Ethnicity, religion, gender, siabilities and sexual preference. How you handle questions about discrimination often looks alike no matter what it is. It’s the same kind of prejudice and the same kind of ignorance. These thoughts don’t change even it it’s a differrent situatuion says Jan-Olov.
Jan- Olov has been engaged through RFSL and also through the transvestites association, in questions about discriminations. Since 2001 they also welcome people who are transvestites in their regulation. In 2001 he also took part in a seminar about people who are transvestites and their condition of parliament and civil servants.
- It was the starting shot for me, I though that now it is serious. Because now we’re on track and now there is someone who will listen, says Jan- Olov.
The objective for the engagement is to get permission of an amendment which also gives a protection for gender discrimination people, who until now have not been included in the legislation.
Another purpose is to convince people about the difference between gender identity and gender expression which hasn’t been given any attention yet.
- It has taken a long time, but the things that happened since we started are that this issue has been discoursed by the government each year, and is always on the agenda.
Now the government is writing on the government bill, which be introduced for the parliament sometimes next year. Hopefully then, the new legal provisions can take effect on the first January 2009.
The thing which is so cool with this chain of event, from 2001 ’til now, is to realize that you actually can affect things. I thought that you couldn’t do that, says Jan-Olov
Jan-Olov doesn’t know if he still has a job at the Red Cross after the turn of the year. The colleagues position and the cost of activity is financed by state founds. Jan-Olov’s position is financed by The European Community. Now they’re trying to find a solution to be able to continue.
- It’s important to keep cool as a project employee and believe it’s going to work out.
It hasn’t always been ok for Jan-Olov to be Madeleine as open as he is nowadays. The courage to stand for who he is has slowly strengthened.
- It began with that I got involved in a relationship which worked out. I didn’t have that earlier. When I met Lena and realize that she really was serious, she thought I could be the way I wanted, I realized in the end that it was only I who drew the lines. I didn’t have anyone to blame anymore.
The surroundings’ reaction doesn’t have the same meaning anymore.
- I am only getting better and better at taking more space and I don’t apologize for existing, says Jan-Olov.
By Gustav, Sandra B and Therese
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