Well-being of LGBT+ children and youth
Research in Iceland
A 2017 survey examined the well-being of homosexual and bisexual young people in Iceland. Findings showed that homosexual and bisexual young people experience higher levels of depression, anger, anxiety, and stress than their heterosexual peers, with bisexual girls reporting the poorest overall well-being of any group.
In 2010, an article titled "Life satisfaction of gay adolescents in 10th grade" was published. The study found that gay adolescents rated their life satisfaction much lower than their heterosexual peers. There was a gender difference among gay and lesbian students with lesbian students reporting the lowest life satisfaction.
The situation of transgender children
While official data and research on the well-being of transgender children and young people in Iceland remain limited, international statistics and interviews reveal that transgender people face worse outcomes in mental and physical health, education, and financial stability—alongside a heightened risk of violence and discrimination.
Education and support play a vital role in dismantling prejudice and reducing the bullying and harassment experienced by transgender children and young people. It's important to remember that discrimination and exclusion of transgender children can occur at home by family members, similar to other LGBT+ groups.
The school system must therefore offer transgender students robust support and understanding, yet recent domestic research highlights significant room for improvement on this front. To help educators better serve this community, the Reykjavík City Human Rights Office has developed a primary school support plan for transgender students.
Intersex Iceland
There is little material available about intersex people and children in Icelandic. Notably, Intersex Iceland, an advocacy group for intersex people, and Samtökin '78, an advocacy group for LGBT+ people (including intersex people), are mentioned. OII Europe, a European intersex organization, has published a guide for parents of intersex children, which has been translated into Icelandic.
Intersex children's situation
There is very little discussion about the situation of intersex children in the Icelandic context. The school system plays a key role in education and discussions. It is worth mentioning the statement from the Ombudsman for Children in 2015 about surgeries on intersex children:
“The justification for surgeries on intersex children is often that it is difficult for a child with ambiguous genitalia or other deviations from the 'traditional' male or female body to feel a part of society and develop a strong self-identity. In contrast, intersex individuals have pointed out that they suffer from the physical and mental consequences of such surgeries, as well as the shame associated with the secrecy of their status... It is not right to consider uniformity as a solution to bullying and ignorance, but rather to promote education and thereby increase tolerance and understanding of the diversity of daily life."