Västerås Pride will boycott the local newspaper VLT ahead of the 2023 festival, the newspaper itself reports.
The reason is said to be one of the newspaper’s writers: Fredrik Virtanen.
– I am surprised and find it frightening, says Daniel Nordström, editor-in-chief and responsible publisher VLT.
Västerås Pride has, ahead of this year’s festival, chosen to end the collaboration with the local newspaper VLT. The reason is stated to be that the profiled columnist Fredrik Virtanen writes for them. Västerås Pride tells VLT that parts of the board view the collaboration negatively since Virtanen was hired.
– We have people on Västerås Pride’s board and outside who have given feedback regarding the collaboration and given their opinions and comments, says Rebecka Berg, Västerås Pride’s chairman to VLT.
Fredrik Virtanen got into trouble during the Metoo fall of 2017 and was accused of raping the media personality Cissi Wallin. The case had been investigated by the police several years earlier but was dropped.
Rebecka Berg further says that the situation has divided the board.
– The perception I have received, partly from the board and from LGBTQ circles, is that he could have handled it better after metoo and not been condescending towards Cissi Wallin in his comments.
“For safety’s sake”
She further says that Västerås Pride sees themselves as inclusive.
– Even if someone were to be guilty, you can actually change. And if he’s innocently accused, it’s terrible, but we’re doing this just to be safe.
Daniel Nordström, editor-in-chief at VLT, is surprised by the decision, but says they have the right to collaborate with whoever they want.
– It is depressing. I didn’t think that the Pride movement was so limited – that they should be inclusive when it suits them, he says and continues:
– Many within the Pride movement know what it’s like to be exposed to prejudice and slurs, and to experience being excluded. So they act in the same way by having preconceived notions.
TV4 has contacted Västerås Pride and Fredrik Virtanen for a comment.