Svein Skeid (1950-2020)

Translator's Note: This is a machine-assisted translation completed on July 28, 2025. While care has been taken to maintain accuracy, this translation has not yet undergone human review or validation. Please note that specialized terms, historical references, and nuanced content may benefit from expert review.

Skeid was one of the most prominent advocates for the removal of the medical diagnosis associated with BDSM and fetishism, which was officially eliminated in 2010. He has also collected historical material—both oral and written—documenting the earliest meeting places for queer people in Oslo and the surrounding area.

In the interview, Skeid shares reflections on growing up in Oslo and how he came into contact with the community at an early age. He also provides a detailed account of the history of the SLM club in the capital, from its founding in 1976.

An excerpt is featured in the window below, where he speaks about the legendary venue Metropol in Oslo, which opened in 1974.

Skeid has also devoted significant effort to documenting the history of queer meeting places in Oslo, with sources dating as far back as the turn of the century.

The full life history interview is available at Skeivt arkiv, part of the Special Collections at the University Library of Bergen.

Skeivt arkiv conducted the interview in Oslo in April 2017. Svein Skeid passed away shortly before Christmas in 2020.