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Olle Hammar: Discussing Immigrants' Homophobia Is Like Throwing Stones in a Glass House
🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Olle Hammar: Discussing Immigrants' Homophobia Is Like Throwing Stones in a Glass House

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified Context piece
  • A Swedish researcher argues that focusing solely on immigrants' homophobia ignores Sweden's own historical intolerance.
  • Data shows that a significant portion of Swedes, particularly voters for certain parties, still hold negative views on homosexuality.
  • The author suggests that forced assimilation is counterproductive and emphasizes the importance of tolerance and freedom of opinion in Swedish culture.

While the Swedish government highlights concerns about homophobia among immigrants, a researcher argues that this focus overlooks Sweden's own past and present intolerance. Olle Hammar, a researcher, suggests that pointing fingers at immigrants is akin to "throwing stones in a glass house."

The government has sounded alarms, with integration minister Simona Mohamsson stating, "I am horrified that almost every other person attending SFI is homophobic." Similar concerns were raised in a report from Järvaveckan. Hammar acknowledges that homophobia is undesirable and that discrimination and hate crimes are rightly prohibited.

I am horrified that almost every other person attending SFI is homophobic.

— Simona MohamssonThe integration minister expressed concern over findings about homophobia among immigrants.

However, he contends that before forcibly assimilating or deporting homophobic immigrants, a step back and some "self-reflection" are needed. Hammar points to historical data showing that in 1990, 65% of Swedes surveyed in the World Values Survey found homosexuality unacceptable. More than a third (37%) chose the most extreme option, stating homosexuality can never be justified.

Throwing stones in a glass house.

— Olle HammarThe researcher used this idiom to describe the focus on immigrants' homophobia while ignoring Sweden's own history.

Even today, significant variation exists within the Swedish population. When grouped by political affiliation rather than country of birth, voters for the Christian Democrats and the Sweden Democrats stand out. According to recent World Values Survey data, over a third (38%) of Christian Democrat voters and over a quarter (27%) of Sweden Democrats voters find homosexuality unacceptable. Hammar notes that until 1979, homosexuality was officially considered a mental illness in Sweden.

Despite these findings, Hammar asserts that neither Christian Democrats, "Sweden friends," nor immigrants should be forced to adopt Swedish values. He emphasizes that modern Swedish culture is characterized by a high degree of tolerance and freedom of opinion, protected by the constitution. "Trying to force someone to trust and tolerance is as futile as beating your child black and blue to make them behave," he writes, calling such attempts "downright un-Swedish."

Forced assimilation is as futile as beating your child black and blue to make them behave. Yes, downright un-Swedish.

— Olle HammarThe researcher criticized attempts to impose values on individuals.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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