Trond Skeide Johannessen (born 1959)

Translator's Note: This is a machine-assisted translation completed on May 23, 2025. While care has been taken to maintain accuracy, this translation has not yet undergone human review or validation.

Skeide Johannessen has worked as a hairdresser throughout his entire professional career. For many years, he was also active as a competitive ballroom dancer.

Trond Skeide Johannessen was born and raised in Bergen, where he has lived his entire life. By 2020, he had worked independently as a hairdresser for 40 years, operating his own salon in the heart of the city. In both his hometown and in Oslo, he is recognized as a “celebrity hairdresser,” with a loyal clientele that includes several high-profile individuals.

In the interview, Johannessen shares that he has always been part of what he refers to as the gay community in Bergen, frequenting venues such as Ranhuset and the discotheque at Hotel Norge. For many years, he was also active in Bergen’s dance scene, participating in competitions across the country. This was also a space where many gay men felt at home, and he describes it as an environment where it was easy to feel a sense of belonging.

Having spent most of his life single, Johannessen met the love of his life, Øystein, at the age of 57. The two now live together. Øystein has children from a previous marriage to a woman, and the couple are now also grandparents.

In an excerpt from the interview, Johannessen reflects on his career choice as a hairdresser and his passion for competitive dance—both communities he experienced as open and inclusive.

The full interview is available in our reading room. Skeivt arkiv met with Trond Skeide Johannessen in Bergen in September 2020.