Lesbianism in Swedish Literature : An Ambiguous Affair

J. BjÃrklund

Here, Jenny BjÃrklund reveals that Swedish literary discourses on lesbianism provocatively contrast with a widely accepted view that attitudes toward homosexuality have gradually become more tolerant. This study traces literary discourse on lesbianism in Sweden from 1930 to 2005 by analyzing lesbian-themed literature and investigating the ways that it confirms and/or challenges socio-political discourses on lesbianism during this time period. Ultimately, the lasting power of negative discourses upends the assumption that Sweden's progressive laws reflect progressive attitudes toward homosexuality.