Kajsa Ekis Ekman

[[File:Kajsa Ekis Ekman at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas.jpg|thumb|Kajsa Ekis Ekman at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney]]
{{gender}}
'''Kajsa "Ekis" Ekman''' {{lived|1980}} is a [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[trans-exclusionary radical feminist]] (TERF), pro-[[Russian]] and "[[Alt-right glossary#Woke|anti-woke]]" debater and conspiracy theorist. Described in ''{{wpl|Dagens Nyheter}}'' as a "leading figure in the new [[transphobia|transphobic]] movement,"<ref name=dagensn>{{cite news |title=Därför stormar det på tidningen Arbetaren igen |url=https://www.dn.se/kultur/darfor-stormar-det-pa-tidningen-arbetaren-igen/ |work={{wpl|Dagens Nyheter}}}}</ref> she is the author of several anti-trans articles and a book, and has formerly been a columnist at some of the larger newspapers in Sweden. In 2022 she was fired by the Swedish left-wing newspaper ''Dagens ETC'' after she had claimed that Russian propaganda broadcaster [[RT]] publishes "very solid [[journalism]]." Later in 2022 she was hired and then fired only a week later as editor of the left-wing newspaper ''{{wpl|Arbetaren}}'', after the entire board and several staff members had resigned in protest over her appointment.<ref>[https://www.dn.se/kultur/kajsa-ekis-ekman-ar-formellt-arbetsbefriad-fran-arbetaren/ Kajsa Ekis Ekman formellt uppsagd från Arbetaren]</ref><ref>[https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/XqGJ27/kajsa-ekis-ekman-sparkas-fran-arbetaren-efter-en-vecka Kajsa Ekis Ekman sparkas: ”De kan glömma att jag lämnar jobbet”]</ref> She has also contributed to [[fringe]] publications such as the "red-brown" conspiracy theorist website [[Steigan.no]].<ref name=wl>[https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2022-09-12/collaboration-between-transphobic-feminists-and-far-right-some-facts Collaboration between transphobic feminists and the far right — some facts] ("Among the Putinist propaganda and antisemitism that fills Steigan’s website are numerous contributions from Kajsa “Ekis” Ekman, a prominent transphobic feminist and associate of the Communist Party (Sweden), who co-founded the Swedish branch of Women’s Declaration International")</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913145209/https://steigan.no/author/kajsaekisekman/ Kajsa Ekis Ekman] in Steigan.no</ref> As of 2025, she is cheering on [[Donald Trump]] for "putting [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy|Zelenskyy]] in his place" and mocking those who sympathize with Ukraine,<ref name=JacobLundberg/> and writing conspiracy-laden articles mocking "[[Alt-right glossary#Woke|woke]] liberals".<ref name=Ekman/> She took part in the Swedish launch of the far-right anti-trans group [[Women's Declaration International]], which is closely aligned with [[Trump|Trumpist]], [[alt-right]] and [[Fascism|fascist]] movements. Associate professor Are Bøe Pedersen stated that "Ekman is a well-known transphobe with ties to hate organizations",<ref>[https://bsky.app/profile/litterat.party/post/3ljk4mxy7h22l Are Bøe Pedersen on Ekman]</ref> while Klassekampen journalist Carline Tromp called her anti-trans rants against "woke" "insane".<ref name=Tromp/> She is a recipient of the Lenin Award, founded by Swedish Maoist {{wpl|Jan Myrdal}}.

==TERF==
Ekman has become known as the most prominent trans-exclusionary radical feminist in Sweden and been described in ''{{wpl|Dagens Nyheter}}'' as a "leading figure in the new [[transphobia|transphobic]] movement."<ref name=dagensn/> Ekman participated in the Swedish launch of the anti-trans group [[Women's Declaration International]] (WDI) in Sweden in 2020.<ref name=wl /> She has also appeared in WDI's "Feminist Question Time" podcast.<ref>{{cite web |title=Feminist Question Time|url=https://www.womensdeclaration.com/en/webinars/feminist-question-time-links/ |publisher=WDI |access-date=4 May 2023}}</ref> At the launch of WDI, she talked about being active in secret anti-trans Facebook groups.

{{cquote|As we’ve seen some progress in Great Britain, especially with J.K Rowling and with the drawback of self-identification laws we have not seen the same progress in Sweden. In Sweden it's still, and in the other nordic countries still, very much a taboo question to speak about and I know that a lot of you are listening right now are active in closed secret Facebook groups and so on, but I think right now is the time to actually move out in the spotlight, you know, it's time to actually speak up, it's time to affect legislation.|||Kajsa "Ekis" Ekman, Swedish launch of WDI<ref>[https://bsky.app/profile/phindus.bsky.social/post/3lmwwpylcd222 För att citera KEE från WDI Sweden’s lansering 2020]</ref>}}

In 2018 the [[radical feminist]] {{wpl|National Organisation for Women’s Shelters and Young Women's Shelters in Sweden}} (ROKS) said that Ekman's anti-trans views were inconsistent with their beliefs and mission to serve "all those who identity as women and girls," and cancelled a planned talk with Ekman in response to statements she had made about trans women.<ref name="roks">{{cite web |title=Uttalande angående Kajsa Ekis Ekmans deltagande på Roks konferens 20 februari |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318220059/https://www.roks.se/index.php/nyheter/uttalande-angaende-kajsa-ekis-ekmans-deltagande-pa-roks-konferens-20-februari |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318220059/https://www.roks.se/index.php/nyheter/uttalande-angaende-kajsa-ekis-ekmans-deltagande-pa-roks-konferens-20-februari |archive-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> Maria Ramnehill argued in 2018 that Ekman spreads [[Scare story|scaremongering propaganda]] about trans women.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ramnehill |first1=Maria |title=Ekis Ekman sprider skrämselpropaganda om transkvinnor|trans-title=Ekis Ekman spreads scaremongering propaganda about trans women |url=https://www.gp.se/kultur/kultur/ekis-ekman-sprider-skr%C3%A4mselpropaganda-om-transkvinnor-1.5066365 |access-date=30 April 2022 |work=Göteborgs-Posten}}</ref>

In 2021 she published an anti-trans book titled ''Om könets existens'' (On the existence of sex) about the supposed threat from "[[gender ideology]]." The book was criticized for relying on far-right "[[fake news]] sources"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Samuelsson |first1=Sanna |title=Recension: Fake news-källor i Ekis Ekmans nya bok|trans-title=Review: Fake news sources in Ekis Ekman's new book |url=https://www.gp.se/kultur/recension-om-k%C3%B6nets-existens-av-kajsa-ekis-ekman-1.45711193 |date=28 April 2021 |work=Göteborgs-Posten}}</ref> and depicting [[trans women]] as a threat.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sandberg |first1=Linn |title=Om transkvinnan som hot|trans-title=On trans women as a threat|url=http://tidskriftenrespons.se/recension/om-transkvinnan-som-hot/ |work=Respons}}</ref> The Norwegian newspaper ''{{wpl|Morgenbladet}}'' described the book's anti-trans rhetoric as "abhorrent" and noted that "it is debatable whether this book deserves any discussion at all."<ref>{{cite news |title=Kan diskuteres om boken i det hele tatt fortjener omtale|trans-title=It is debatable whether this book deserves any discussion at all |url=https://www.morgenbladet.no/boker/anmeldelser/2021/07/16/enoyd-redningsridder/ |date=16 July 2021 |work=Morgenbladet}}</ref> Norwegian feminist Maria Horvei wrote that Ekman's "onesided" book argues against [[strawmen]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Horvei |first1=Maria |title=Å vere eller ikkje få vere |url=https://www.vinduet.no/kritikk/a-vere-eller-ikkje-fa-vere-om-konets-existens-av-kajsa-ekis-ekman/ |date=10 September 2021 |work=Vinduet}}</ref> The {{wpl|Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights}} published a book titled ''100 fel i 'Om könets existens''' that argued that her book contained numerous inaccuracies and dubious sources.<ref>{{cite web |title=100 fel i “Om könets existens” |url=https://www.rfsl.se/verksamhet/trans/100-fel-i-ekmans-bok/ |publisher=RFSL |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref> In 2021, the Swedish Forum for Gender Studies cancelled a discussion of Ekman's book, stating that "the Forum for Gender Studies is not a place for transphobia and anti-trans hate".<ref name="svtse">{{cite web |title=Universitet ställde in seminarium om Kajsa Ekis Ekmans bok |url=https://www.svt.se/kultur/universitet-stallde-in-seminarium-om-kajsa-ekis-ekmans-bok |publisher=Sveriges Television}}</ref>

In 2022 she appeared in a panel alongside WDI founder Heather Brunskell-Evans and that featured British anti-trans activist and fascist [[Posie Parker]] as keynote speaker. Ekman was falsely given the title "Dr", despite not holding any academic degree.<ref>{{cite web |title=Object Now |url=https://objectnow.org/surrogacy-the-harms-and-the-human/ |quote=Our speakers: [...] Dr Kajsa Ekis Ekman [...] Radical Feminist Dr Heather Brunskell-Evans [...] And key-note speaker, Kellie-Jay Keen (Standing for Women)}}</ref>

==Railing against "woke liberals"==
In 2025 she wrote a conspiracy-laden and transphobic article mocking "[[Alt-right glossary#Woke|woke]] liberals".<ref name=Ekman>[https://klassekampen.no/artikkel/2025-03-04/kvinnenes-tofrontskrig Ekman's article on "woke liberals"]</ref> Although it was published in [[Klassekampen]], Klassekampen journalist Carline Tromp called the text "insane".<ref name=Tromp>[https://bsky.app/profile/pallaskatt.bsky.social/post/3ljk6x3e7js22 Carline Tromp: En ganske vanvittig tekst]</ref> The very same text has also been translated into English, in an effort to promote it internationally, by the [[Swedish Women's Lobby]], which has been a hub of anti-trans activism since the late 2010s.<ref>[https://bsky.app/profile/phindus.bsky.social/post/3lksvhrxn6k2k Plus att Spinifex Press (Sheila Jeffreys (WDI) bokförlag) har en översättning på sin sida som de krediterar till Swedish Women’s Lobby.]</ref><ref>Kajsa Ekis Ekman: [https://www.spinifexpress.com.au/blog/no-one-defends-womens-interests-anymore The Two Front War Against Women]. Translated by the Swedish Women's Lobby.</ref> Ekman later received a forceful response by Norwegian feminists in Klassekampen, who roundly rejected her anti-trans views and unsupported claims.<ref>[https://klassekampen.no/artikkel/2025-03-06/debatt-kvinnebevegelsen-ma-sta-sammen/VXB9 Kvinne­be­ve­gelsen må stå sammen]</ref>

==Pro-Russian views==
Ekman has been widely known for her pro-[[Putin]] or Putin-apologetic views for several years. In 2022 she was fired by the left-wing daily ''Dagens ETC'' for promoting Russian propaganda, after she had claimed that [[RT]] publishes "very solid journalism" and parroted Russian propaganda claims about "Ukrainian Nazis," with reference to ''{{wpl|The Kyiv Independent||''.}} The chief editor of ''Dagens ETC'', Andreas Gustavsson, said he had fired Ekman because she had "whitewashed RT and what they are up to in the world."<ref>[https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/dagens-etc-bryter-med-ekis-ekman/ Dagens ETC bryter med Ekis Ekman]</ref> As of 2025, she is cheering on [[Donald Trump]] for "putting [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy|Zelenskyy]] in his place" and mocking those who sympathize with Ukraine.<ref name=JacobLundberg>[https://bsky.app/profile/jacob.flamman.se/post/3ljhdei64vs2l Jacob Lundberg (editor of Flamman) on Ekman]</ref>

Russia's government is hardly feminist; Putin signed a law decriminalizing [[domestic violence]] in 2017, which was opposed by women's groups in Russia.<ref>Lucian Kim (February 16, 2017). [https://www.npr.org/2017/02/16/515642501/russian-president-signs-law-to-decriminalize-domestic-violence "Russian President Signs Law To Decriminalize Domestic Violence"]. ''NPR''.</ref>

In 2024, Russian feminist Zalina Marshenkulova spoke about the status of women in Russia at the time of the war with Ukraine:
{{blockquote|Women are, of course, very vulnerable in an environment where anyone can be jailed for no reason. But women are also subjected to reproductive violence that many governments — including Russia — are facilitating with renewed rigorousness these days. [These acts] include [[abortion]] restrictions and attempts to ban abortion altogether. In other words: attempts to turn the state away from secularism and toward religious [[obscurantism]]. … Oddly enough, most Russian traditionalists and propagandists have never been married, and have no children or families of their own but are pushing everyone else around to do otherwise. It's quite amusing. … The Russian state wants family violence to persist because domestic violence enables state violence. If a person is taught that beating one's family member is ok, then they will perceive state violence and news of someone being tortured as something normal. So it is important to first implement change in personal relationships and families and then change the state — not the other way around.<ref>Leyla Latypova (November 18, 2024). [https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/11/18/russia-wants-family-violence-to-persist-feminist-activist-zalina-marshenkulova-a87042 "'Russia Wants Family Violence to Persist': Feminist Activist Zalina Marshenkulova"]. ''The Moscow Times''.</ref>}}
==Hired and fired as newspaper editor==
A few months after she was fired by ''ETC'', she was hired and then fired only a week later as editor of the anarcho-syndicalist newspaper ''{{wpl|Arbetaren}}'', after the entire board and several staff members had resigned in protest over her hiring, citing her pro-Russian and anti-transgender views. The case received widespread media attention in Sweden.<ref>[https://www.svt.se/kultur/fejden-ar-ett-tragikomiskt-offentligt-sammanbrott ”Fejden är ett tragikomiskt offentligt sammanbrott”]</ref><ref>[https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/ekis-ekman-sparkas-fran-arbetaren-efter-kritiken/ Ekis Ekman sparkas från Arbetaren – efter kritiken] ([Ekis Ekman fired by Arbetaren – after the criticism]</ref>

==Writings on conspiracy blog ''Steigan''==
She has written about 40 articles for the "red-brown" and pro-Putinist conspiracy theorist website [[Steigan.no]]. An article in ''Workers' Liberty'' noted:

{{quotebox|Among the Putinist propaganda and antisemitism that fills Steigan’s website are numerous contributions from Kajsa “Ekis” Ekman, a prominent transphobic feminist and associate of the Communist Party (Sweden), who co-founded the Swedish branch of {{wpl|Women's Declaration International}}<ref name=wl />}}

==Award==
In 2020 she received the Lenin Award, an award founded by Swedish Maoist {{wpl|Jan Myrdal}}.<ref>[https://steigan.no/2020/01/leninprisen-til-kajsa-ekis-ekman/ Leninprisen til Kajsa Ekis Ekman], ''[[Steigan.no]]''</ref><ref>[http://www.leninpriset.se/pristagare/kajsa-ekis-ekman-4/ Kajsa Ekis Ekman], Leninpriset</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{wpl|Kajsa Ekis Ekman}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ekmn, Kajsa}}
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:TERFs]]
[[Category:Vatniks]]

Categories: Authors, Living people, TERFs, Vatniks