– It was sin, sickness and punishment

When Kim Friele (84) stood out as a homosexual 60 years ago, he was called an infectious disease. She is pleased that the police recognize that mistakes have been made.

– I usually say that homosexuality was about three S. It was a shame, it was an illness and there was a punishment, says the 84-year-old, who works for many years for the rights of skei.

On the opening day of Prideakke, Friele was the main speaker at the police station in Oslo, where police, police students and guests gathered.

KrF top: that's why I'm going to Pride

The reason is that the police acknowledged that mistakes had been made during the course of history and that she wanted to apologize to homosexuals for the injustice and harassment that many have been victims.

– The police must be the institution that guarantees security, not the one that constitutes fear. The police must take all victims of crime seriously and not expose them to further trauma through ridicule. Unfortunately, many homosexuals have had this experience from the police, even after 1972, director Kristin Kvigne told police.

It was not until 1972 that criminalization homosexuality has been removed.

– Even though it was not active, it was like a Damoc sword on people's heads. Then we had what we call pisso culture, says Friele.

– A danger of global dimensions

This year, it's been 60 years since she got up. At that time, homosexuality was described as an infectious disease and the church declared that it was "a danger of global dimension," she said. .

– This statement they did not retreat until the late 1970s. Then they said that they accepted the sinner, but not the sin. There are many who really care and think it is cruel.

Friele says that it would have been strange that the police of this generation were also affected by this attitude, describing the 1960s as a repression and decades of desperation.

She tried to tell the authorities how gay people had, but was not heard.

– Nobody in the 60's was interested in a divorced woman again Bergen, who always had something to say. So the 60s was a black hole for me, she says.

work posture

According to Friele, the 1970s became visibility and decades of activism. But even if the paragraph had disappeared, the attitudes did not become such.

– Deleting a paragraph can give signals of attitude, but that does not mean that the evil events do not happen anymore and that the police do not embrace us. Attitudes persisted and had to be worked, and it was a very, very heavy job.

Friele says that she, who also knew the police in the worst, greatly appreciates the fact that the police today apologize on behalf of their ancestors.

– We must rejoice that the police have dug the story, but we must have two ideas in mind at the same time. The police have not been sufficiently sensitized to attitudes towards minorities, including us.

– Excuse me

Deputy politician Bjørn Vandvik thinks it was nice to hear Friele's thoughts that "the police do not live on a desert island, they are part of society".

– We should not take all the sins of our ancestors. At the same time, I think it's just that we give an excuse to those who have been victims of harassment and unethical behavior on the part of the police. We apologize for that.

Vandvik says the police are different today and a lot of things have happened, thanks in part to Friele's efforts.

– Today, we will be based on knowledge and concerned about diversity. The Oslo Police District is a very diverse city and we want to be a brutal police that respects everyone.

The women of the police department say to VG that it is a work of attitude that must be done all the time.

– It is fair to say that we all have prejudices and that, one way, we must dare to be face to face in everyday life. We must make the right choices, make the right choices and dare to talk about the problems and dilemmas associated with them.