By DC for the Zealandian Guardian
Senator Lindström
Senator Charlotte Lindström is one of the most outspoken Zealandian politicans, a self avowed feminist, anti capitalist and somewhat of an firebrand figure both in Zealandia and in the foreign relations of Zealandia. She is a woman who immediately fills the room with her presence.
Lindström is the Zealandian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Culture, the Minister for Women and the Minister for State Security as well as the convenor of the Zealandian Greens and the Member for Tyrshavn.
ZG: So its been a year since you came out as woman, how did your family take the news?
CL: At first I think my family especially Mum didn’t really understand and so where slow to get it, but slowly its changed, my Mum has really been trying to get things like pronouns right.
ZG: How long have you kept this to yourself before coming out?
CL: Hmm, it’s something that I have struggled for as far back as I can remember, I didn’t really have a term for it growing up or a way of expressing it. My teenage years where really fucking hard and I honestly didn’t know if I was wrong somehow, I tried to confide in a friend but he told me it was just a silly phase. You know its been a long road to being able to really be me.
ZG: How have your experiences in Zealandia and Zealandian politics been?
CL: My experiences since coming out have been in Zealandia hugely positive, Zealandia is great environment that really lets its citizens be who they wanna be.
ZG: And in the wider micronational community?
CL: Yeah, you could say its been interesting [laughs]. In all seriousness though its been a very varied experience, some micronationalists have been really good about my being transgender and then you’ve got the vocal shitheads and even so called progressives who are anything but progressive with anything beyond the L and G in LGBTQIA. I’ve copped a fair bit of abuse merely for trying to be who the fuck I actually am. I know I was going to cop shit from the fascists in the community, but not from other corners of the community.
The shit I got from some people that I genuinely respected and admired really fucking hurt. As did a few things from the shitheads of the community. There’s some people who really don’t want to listen to transgender people and there are people who openly deny our existence. It was also disenchanting to see other transgender people including some non binary people also cop a shit-ton of flak for daring to be themselves.
ZG: What about the wider community?
CL: Oh boy [laughs] again its been a real mixed bag, you know there have been some situations where I have genuinely feared for my life due to transphobia, there’s been times where I’ve been minding my own business and people have taken it upon themselves to be shitheads. I’ve been harassed by the cops for merely wanting to take a piss in the dunny that represents my gender. Yet I’ve had immensely positive experiences too such as getting my legal name changed, speaking to the UNSW Vice Chancellor on transgender issues, attending my first formal black tie event as myself and when I saw my reflection in that mirror in my black dress, all made up I saw the woman I am and yeah I even cried a little.
ZG: And your political stances within and without Zealandia? have they changed?
CL: You know I’m still unapologetically antifascist and anticapitalist, I’m not going to say sorry for being loud and sometimes obnoxious about my views, about social justice, to socialism and feminism. My feminism is intersectional, and I have put my body and liberty on the line for what I believe in, so no my views haven’t changed.
ZG: Finally, do you have any words for other queer micronationalists who are still in the closet about their sexuality or gender?
CL: Just be yourself, yes its a hard road but its well worth it, its not easy but its much worse being stuck in the jail that is the closet.
The Zealalandian Guardian 