Elise Ottesen-Jensen or Ottar (1886 - 1973) was an anarcho-syndicalist, feminist, reproductive rights activist, queer rights activist, sex educator and journalist.
Life
Early Life
She had been born as one of 18 children to a highly religious family where her father was a priest in Norway. She quickly grew to question and distrust religious authority, and became a journalist after high school. During World War I, she met and fell in love with the anarcho-syndicalist Albert Jensen and began working for the Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden. She developed an interest in sexual liberation and the advancement of reproductive rights, traveling around Scandinavia giving lectures on safe sex, abortion and sexual freedom.
During World War II, she helped several gay people and Jews find refuge in Sweden as they fleed Nazi persecution. She became an editor for several magazines dealing with psychology and sexual knowledge. She continued to travel and lecture and spread information about sexual health, doing so nearly put her in prison several times.[1]
Quotes
"I dream of the day when all the children who are born are welcome, all men and women are equal and sexuality is an expression of sincerity, pleasure and tenderness."[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wikipedia (Norwegian) - https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elise_Ottesen-Jensen