Since March 8th, I have been writing a series to celebrate Great Swedish Women, past and present: women with strength and passion, women who create change. Today is the final day.
Part 7 – transactivist, journalist and actor Aleksa Lundberg.
Aleksa Lundberg was born with the wrong body. She was born with a boy’s body and at the age of 22, she underwent corrective surgery and became physically a woman. She is the first actor in Sweden to have undergone gender reorientation. She is a strong, proud Swedish woman. But her transition hasn’t necessarily been smooth sailing – as a transwoman, she has experienced hate, disgust, rejection and ridicule.
Today Aleksa is a transactivist and works hard to change society’s view about transgender men and women and to reinforce the trans perspective in society and politics. She is a vocal representative and a fierce, sometimes provocative, oponent and is frequently seen in debate programs on television and in other media.
Aleksa is also an accomplished actor. She has played many groundbreaking, interesting roles. Currently, you can catch her in ‘King Kristina Alexander’ at Strindbergs Intima Theatre in Stockholm, directed by Elisabeth Olson Wallin.
Aleksa’s political message is actually very simple. She wants to strengthen the rights of transgender people and also change the whole of society. Everybody, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, handicap should feel accepted, needed and loved. In a recent interview, she says:
‘Our sexuality doesn’t choose men or women. In the end, it’s about choosing a person. For me, it’s more about politics than romance that love is the the meaning of life. I hope that we can have a world where everyone actually understands that.’
Who can argue with that? Love is the key. Long live Queen Aleksa.
Watching the Swedes 