Trans* organizing-trajectories, discussions, strategies

9th Nordic Trans Studies Conference, December 8-9, 2025, Örebro University

Convenors: Luca Tainio, Nico Miskow Friborg and Irina Schmitt

Trans organising in the Nordic context has seen many distinct changes within the last 10-15 years. While some long-term networks persist, new initiatives continuously arise, and we can see a blend of stable as well as more shifting or temporary platforms for meeting and organising. The variety of lived experiences among trans people has also led to initiatives focusing on the specific needs of, for example, newly migrated people. Furthermore, while we have seen changes to the legal frameworks that govern the lives and bodies of trans adults, there has also been heightened negative public attention on gender nonconforming youth.

With this session, we want to explore some of the trajectories of these changes. While much attention is paid to the rapid decline in state and societal support in countries such as the US, UK and Hungary, what is the situation in the Nordic context? What are the local issues within the global landscape of anti-trans mobilizing? Which roles do trans joy and trans care play? What discussions and approaches do we or should we engage with as trans organisers or communities? Where are the fault lines and contentions? And what are our theoretical reference points for these conversations?

The session will include short presentations by the participants, followed by a collective panel discussion. We ask for the participants to send in a short abstract outlining the key points of their presentation in advance.

The session will be open for non-participating audience.

Bios

Nico Miskow Friborg (they/them) is a Mad, queer, trans coalition organiser and PhD candidate at Centre for Gender Studies, University of Stavanger. Nico’s work explores t4t organising, coalition-building, and mundane trans care in Denmark, and is anchored in collective knowledge creation that contributes to trans liveability and collective trans liberation.

Luca Tainio (he/him) is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki in Finland, and an Adjunct Lecturer at Karlstad University in Sweden. His research focuses on questions of transmasculinity and embodiment, as well as knowledge-production. Luca also works as the Editorial Secretary for NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies.