WITHIN AND BEYOND THE NORM: SIBLINGS STEINUNN THORSTEINSSON AND HARALDUR HAMAR

This article traces the lives of siblings Steinunn Thorsteinsson (1886–1978) and Haraldur Hamar Thorsteinsson (1892–1957), both of whom lived beyond the boundaries of heteronormativity. The children of author, translator and educator Steingrímur Thorsteinsson, they grew up in an upper-class household in Reykja vík. Haraldur studied abroad but soon began to struggle with alcoholism and his mental health, returning to Reykjavík in 1929. Steinunn became a photographer and managed a successful studio with her partner, Sigríður Zoëga. While Stein unn and Sigríður shared a home and life, Haraldur gained an unfortunate reputation as a sodomite. The Thorsteinsson siblings lived during a period of rapid modernization in Iceland, which called for new ideas regarding the politics of gender and sexuality. Neither Haraldur nor Steinunn left behind much personal material. However, references to their positions outside heteronormative society constitute a key feature in an otherwise scant and scattered body of sources. Their outsider status was interpreted differently by their contemporaries. Haraldur’s alleged homosexuality became a central theme in narratives of his downfall and tragic ex istence, while Steinunn’s choice of a same-sex partner did not seem to affect her chances of enjoying a fulfilling life. Departing from queer history, this article explores how often contradictory ideas about gender, sexuality and sexual identities influenced interpretations of the siblings’ status as outsiders.