Karina Ødegård, a Green Party candidate running to become the first openly transgender member of Norway’s Parliament, is calling for her country to offer asylum to transgender Americans, citing what she describes as escalating political and legal persecution in the United States.
Speaking to Aftenposten, Ødegård described the U.S. as undergoing a dangerous transformation: “One thing is that you see the development of an illiberal democracy. I think that is extremely problematic. Then it gets even worse because the [current] administration has singled out transgender people as scapegoats.”
She drew historical comparisons to 1930s Germany and its treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. “What would we have done in the 1930s if we knew what was about to happen? That’s where we are now. Then we must act,” she said.
Grounds for Asylum
Ødegård believes that the current rollback of rights in the U.S. should qualify trans Americans for international protection.
“When we see developments in the U.S., where rights are being withdrawn through pure legal and political persecution, I believe that this should provide grounds for asylum.”
Her stance is now echoed by the Norwegian Green Party, which has reportedly adopted a formal resolution in support of offering asylum to transgender Americans facing targeted persecution.
Rising Concern Across Borders
Norway’s concern over trans rights in the U.S. isn’t limited to political statements. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry has issued an official travel advisory for trans and nonbinary citizens intending to travel to the United States.
“When applying for an ESTA [Electronic System for Travel Authorisation] or a visa to the United States, there are two gender designations to choose from: Male or female,” the ministry warns. “The United States only recognises the applicant’s gender at birth.”
The ministry stressed that “the Norwegian authorities cannot intervene” in the U.S. immigration process and advised trans and nonbinary individuals to contact the U.S. embassy before making travel plans.
Ødegård is concerned that anti-trans sentiments could spread beyond American borders and affect Norway too. “Norwegians are already being impacted by the crackdown on trans rights in the United States,” she said.
U.S. Policies Under Scrutiny
The comments come in response to a wave of recent changes in U.S. federal policy. Among the executive orders signed by the U.S. President on Inauguration Day was one declaring that only two sexes — male and female — are officially recognised.
The directive mandates that all federal agencies use the term “sex” rather than “gender” and restricts official documents, including passports, to reflect only sex assigned at birth.
Further alarming rights advocates, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a memo in February stating that trans travellers who carry documentation inconsistent with their birth-assigned gender could face permanent bans under a 1952 law related to fraudulent self-representation on immigration paperwork.
