Gender and diversity consultant Sóley Tómasdóttir says it doesn’t matter where media and activist Edda Falak have worked. What matters is what she has done for society and in the feminist struggle.
Sóley writes in a Friday meditation on his website:
“Edda has been under constant, deliberate and irrational attack from the patriarchy over the past few seasons. She has been named and demonized, feared and sued for giving victims a chance to tell their stories.
It’s Edda. She’s the feminist the media uses as clickbait because they know commentators use her to vent their frustrations and insecurities. It is so much easier to attack Edda than to face the injustice she denounces in her daily work. It is the face of an ideology misunderstood by society. And it’s terribly hard.”
When Sóley was
Sóley remembers that she and Hildur Lilliendahl were in this situation. They were part of the social debate while they occupied a prominent place in their feminist struggle in previous years.
“It’s difficult and perhaps impossible to explain, but name calling and threats are by no means the worst part of being in this position.” It’s much worse when the patriarchy uses its controlling power to twist our words and actions to diminish our credibility. When we are portrayed as dishonest, malicious or bigoted in order to maintain and exaggerate animosity towards us.”
In 2010, Sóley was in first place in the left-leaning Green Party primary election. It was at the same time as her. A day later, the media was only talking about the fact that she had cheated to gain access to the seat and had not changed the fact that all the rules had been followed. Sóley tried to explain it, but the audience didn’t want to hear it. She was branded a cheater for many years afterward.
The alleged perpetrators have more power
The thing is, it’s easy to speak ill of controversial women and a cause the public misunderstands. It doesn’t take much for people to believe that these women have something wrong with their conscience, and it takes a lot to correct such accusations.
Now it turns out that Frosti Logason, who Sóley doesn’t mention by name in her column, brought up a two-year-old interview with Edda and made a big deal out of it, calling it an expose. As a result, Heimil’s editorial board felt compelled to respond and apologize “although the apology unfortunately only fueled contempt and hatred in the comment systems”.
“We’re at a point where alleged perpetrators have more power over the reputations of feminist activists than the entire #metoo movement has over the reputations of perpetrators.” All they have to do is smell a typo or a meter fine for hatred to circulate on the internet. They cling to the power to define the gravity of crimes and demand answers and explanations about what suits them, when it suits them.”
Edda brings down the walls of the electrical system
Edda Falak is not a minister and has no movement behind her. She is a young woman and although she enjoys the support of the feminists around her, she remains alone.
“His workplace doesn’t even have the guts to ignore the alleged perpetrator or point out the injustice of his attacks.”
Sóley says she herself encouraged Edda not to respond to Frost. Experience has taught him that the answers only lead to more questions in such cases and even harsher attacks.
The thing is, Edda’s career doesn’t matter.
“She may have been free with the truth at times, like all of us.” Edda Falak is a strong, intelligent and courageous woman who is bringing down the walls of the electrical system. I will stand with her in this work and I will fight against all attempts by the patriarchy to reduce her credibility and that of other women contributing to the cause.”
Hrina apologizes for Edda
Sóley urged others to apologize for their failures and “big crimes” before a man decided to expose them on YouTube. Apologies poured in under the hashtag #sorry, and confessions about the various issues can be seen there. People who exaggerated their skills on their CV, lied and stole their jobs are examples of those who confessed and apologized. But Sóley pointed out in his column that most people have probably been guilty of taking the truth freely at some point in their lives.
Komasoh guys, apologize immediately before being exposed on Youtube. I stole a pen from a municipal representative of the Progressive Party in 2007. It was a mistake. #Sorry
— Soley Tomasdóttir (@soleytomasar) March 24, 2023
Given the occasion, Krísulínan Sjomlar would like to apologize for the error that appears in this video, but the name of the client, whose name is not Fródi, was wrong. We apologize. #Sorry pic.twitter.com/2jBiwDZalo
— Thordis Elva (@thordiselva) March 24, 2023
I’ve never bothered to watch an entire Star Wars movie with full concentration, but I’ve often pretended to think it was something remarkable. #Sorry
— Birna Kolbrun (@kolla_swag666) March 24, 2023
My Facebook profile says from the start that Sanskrit is one of the languages I speak.
This is obviously a lie and I apologize for this deception. I will submit my letter of license as a primary and secondary teacher on Monday#Sorry
— Siggeir F. Ævarsson (@siggeirslayer) March 24, 2023
I sincerely apologize. I’ve often pretended to have seen popular films because as a female film studies graduate I often have a hard time admitting that I never finished Citizen Kane, #Sorry Me
— Silja Björk (@siljabjorkk) March 24, 2023
In 2005, I stole a sign from the toilets of Mentaskólin in Kópavogur and hung it in the bathroom of the house. I really shouldn’t be licensed as a psychologist because I have to be pretty unethical and actually dangerous #Sorry
— Hulda Tölgyes (@hulda_tolgyes) March 24, 2023
I would like to apologize for being partisan and voting for the Independence Party in my twenties. I know it looks bad for the fight, but you deserve me to be straight #Sorry
— Hulda Hrund (@hulda_hrund) March 24, 2023
I apologize for saying that I was interested in cute boys when I was 12. It wasn’t true but could be brought to the surface later #Sorry pic.twitter.com/aLs4L300aR
— 🏳️🌈 Brynhildur Breiðholtsdóttir 🏳️🌈 (@BrynhildurYrsa) March 24, 2023
I lied in the media when I talked about my only rape, I said I don’t know who the man is but I know who he is, I know his sister and I know where he works 🙂 #Sorry
— Briet Blar 🌬️ (@thvengur) March 24, 2023
When I left RÚV, I took with me a marked spoon from the institute because I have a good memory of it. I mainly use it to spread pizza sauce. #Sorry
— Margret Erla Maack (@mokkilitli) March 24, 2023
When I was a kid, I once had a raffle and said I was collecting for the ring children’s hospital, but I was just collecting for a bag 😔 #Sorry
—Svalafel (@svalalala) March 24, 2023
During an ADHD effort a picture was taken of me and put in a flyer that was distributed to all the houses it said I was a graduate student – I was not and never have been in a doctoral program. This was never fixed #Sorry
— Driving (@DrifaP) March 24, 2023
The other day, a positive review of one of my books appeared in the media. He said that I had won the Icelandic literature prize more than once.
It’s not true, I only won once. But I didn’t correct it and just posted the verdict on all social networks.#Sorry
— Hildur Knútsdóttir (@hildurknuts) March 24, 2023
Well, I think it’s necessary to apologize to all Americans for lying to border guards when entering the United States. I was 20 and I lied saying I didn’t have booze with me in my purse #Sorry
— Þórhildur Gyða (@torii_96) March 24, 2023
Hello everybody. Before the costume finder youtuber leaks this I will say #Sorry – I lied on my passport. I’m 159, not 160.
— Tanja Ísfjörð (@tanjaisfjord) March 24, 2023
When I was in primary school I lied saying I had a boyfriend in the east named Jökull #Sorry
— 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 Tinna, extreme feminist 💥 (@tinnaharalds) March 24, 2023
On my CV I have a basic knowledge of Danish, but the truth is that I only have a traditional Icelandic registration certificate in Danish. In other words, he doesn’t know anything in Danish. #Sorry
— ÁstríðurPétursdóttir (@stridarockk) March 24, 2023
I just want to apologize that when I say listen mom is calling in the middle of a call no one calls, I don’t want to talk on the phone anymore. #Sorry
—Helga Ben (@Helgabenben) March 24, 2023
Good day. I just wanted to say #Sorry before I was exposed in a podcast but I was undercharged at the pharmacy in Leifsstöð the other day, noticed it before I went on air but still haven’t come back to offer to pay the mini shampoo.
— HilPARODYdur ♀ 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 (@hillldur) March 24, 2023
I’ve always said it was a blast to play wow. It’s only half the truth #Sorry The other half was a nightmare. Sexual harassment of pilots and total disapproval and humiliation of female superiors and owner following a complaint I was encouraged to file.
—Andrea Eyland (@kviknar) March 24, 2023
Before being exposed, I want to say that I lied in an interview that I had “children” in 2019. I misspoke and said “the children” instead of “the child and I felt so disgustingly embarrassed to correct him in the middle of the interview that I kept talking like I had a lot of kids. #Sorry
— Asta Martins (@astamarteins1) March 24, 2023
I never returned employees’ clothes #Sorry
— Katrin Kristjana 🇺🇦 (@KatrinKristjana) March 24, 2023
