Married Lesbian Couple Rescued 40 Teens from Norway Massacre

If, as I insisted, you'd read Tove Jansson's elliptical, elegant Fair Play or her marvelous The Summer Book, you could perfectly envision the Norwegian island chain where married lesbians Hege Dalen and Toril Hansen [adidas] were eating at their campsite when they heard shots and screams across the water. Did they run and hide? No, they're lesbians, so they jumped in their boat and sped toward the slaughter. The women pulled terrified teens from the water and the rocky coast as the insane far-right gunman shot through their vessel. Unfortunately, there were too many youth to fit in the boat. Hege and Toril ferried the group to safety, then hurried back to the massacre, rescuing another boatload. Then they did it yet again. And still again. Altogether in their four trips they saved forty people from the scene where seventy-six died.

The mainstream U.S. media, which loves a hero story almost as much as a tragedy, has been uniformly silent about the lesbian superstars. Instead, you get a gay man, Bruce Bawer, in his self-serving WSJ piece saying how shocked he is to discover his extremist anti-Islam writings are quoted in the extremist anti-Islam writings of a killer. Ignore him and stick with Tove Jansson.

photo: Maija Tammi/HS

Comments

[Petra]

They are absolutely heroes, and it's a shame they didn't make the headlines - as suggested - because they're lesbian. If they were two male friends camping, they would have already been invited to give interviews and appear on TV shows...

[Liza Russell]

Who cares about their sexuality? I just admire their bravery.

[Margaret Agusta]

Human courage and compassion come in many forms; what these two people did was at once human and humane and heroic.

[Craig Griffiths]

"Did they run and hide? No, they're lesbians" What they did was amazing- and it should be better publicised- but i'm not sure they would thank you for putting it all down to their sexuality rather than their own initiative.

Completely agree with this, the fact that they are lesbians had absolutely nothing to do with their bravery. Plus, the reason they are not all over the news, most likely isn't because they are lesbian either! Very tiresome.

[Russell Jones]

Brilliant. Brilliant brilliant brilliant. I'm a straight guy from England, and proud to support LGBT people everywhere. Not because it's "right on" or politically correct. Just because it's morally indefensible to do otherwise. When I hear something like this it makes me prouder still.

[Rickycm]

My new heros!

[Spirit]

This article does have a point. The point being, why have we not heard about this AMAZING act of heroism until now? Why has the media been silent on their efforts? Is it because they are a lesbian couple? This is a very, very important question to ask.

This was so uplifting to read. I can't imagine hearing the gunshots, and heading straight into danger. Brave, incredible women.

[Spirit]

@Craig - There is a tool that writers sometimes use. This tool is called "humor." It is meant to make their works more engaging and fun to read.

"Did they run and hide? No, they're lesbians" is pretty much the greatest quote ever. It's funny because everybody should know that attributing arbitrary traits like "brave" or "moral" or "good" to a sexual orientation is silly, but I guess not everybody does.

[Joe]

Stupid article. They were probably a bunch of other things too - do lesbians go through some sort of hero training that you thought it was significant to mention?

[Nils]

That is amazing. True heroes.

[Roger]

I agree in part with many of the comments above BUT would go further

I believe that their sexual orientation and their gender has nothing to do with the fact that these two individuals showed immense and sustained courage by driving their boat not once but several times towards a situation that could have cost them their lives at any moment in order to save the lives of others.

Their determination and sense of what is right saved many people and will impact upon those people and their families for generations to come.

The fact that this has not been reported widely in all the major news organisations or at all in the USA only reflects the hole that is in the heart of our societies whereby our hero’s must be from very specifically defined social, cultural or organisational groups and most defiantly not from the real world that has not been designed and marketed by Hollywood, the commercial TV channels or advertising and fashion agencies.

These two ladies did what they did not because they are Lesbians, not because they are women, not even because they are Norwegians, but because it was the right thing to do and because they are very brave and good people.

A people that do not recognise these qualities in others because of gender, orientation, nationality or background diminish the worth of themselves AND NOT the worth of the brave and compassionate people it chooses to ignore.

[Andrew]

Their sex or sexuality has nothing to do with it, they just did what was right. As Edmund Burke once said "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men[people] to do nothing" If they must have a label, I think Hero is more appropriate!

[Mark and Pip]

Haven't seen this story in the U.K. either - thanks to Hege and Toril for saving so many lives. Your bravery saved this awful story from being even worse. Love to all the people of Norway... x

[B]

erm… did they REALLY rescue these kids because they're lesbians? or did they rescue these kids because they're MARRIED lesbians?

okay???

heroic deeds have sweet bugger all to do with sexuality. would their orientation / marital status have been mentioned if they WEREN'T married lesbians?

these women are incredibly brave. WTF has their choice of partners or choice of sexual orientation got to do with it? why is this even mentioned? reeks of bigotry

[Richard]

I agree with scarlett, are you saying heterosexual women would not have helped? Surely you are ust enforcing segregation of sexuality by focussing on that issue? The main story is that they saved all those people...not that they were lesbians!

[Anarchic_teapot]

@carter It's nothing to do with the Left. It's all to do with two brave and capable people being totally ignored because of what they are.

OTOH "Did they run and hide? No, they're lesbians" is a bloody stupid statement. Who in their right mind would write something like "Did they run and hide? No, they're heterosexuals"? Or "vegetarians"? Or "quantity surveyors"?

"Did they run and hide? No." would have sufficed.

[Bart]

Scarlettwith2ts:

> "Did they run and hide? No, they're lesbians" What they did was amazing- and it should be better publicised- but i'm not sure they would thank you for putting it all down to their sexuality rather than their own initiative.

Hear!

[Dave]

I agree that their act should have been reported but
"Did they run and hide? No, they're lesbians", just spoils this article's point.

What has them being lesbian have to do with it? Imagine the outcry if you had said "Did they run and hide? No, they're white".

[Jannamark]

"The mainstream U.S. media, which loves a hero story almost as much as a tragedy, has been uniformly silent about the lesbian superstars."

An enormous part of the mainstream U.S. media is in the hands of a shockingly few billionaires. Stories that don't fit Murdoch's agenda won't be in his Wall Street Journal or any of his other media outlets.

[Ronnie]

I certainly agree that their being lesbians didn't make them more likely to be heroes, that is just as absurd as saying that being lesbians makes one more morally repugnant. However, it is certainly the case that there are people, stupid ignorant, ill-educated and thoughtless people, who automatically consider gay people as less than when it comes to the positive aspects of humanity and this story is a reminder to all people but especially the aforementioned, that being straight or gay has no bearing at all on morality, decency or courage. What this is is a story of two brave women who put their lives at risk to save others, who just happen to be a married couple.

As for the left making political gain out of this, those who state that are missing the point. All that people are saying is that the fact this couple are a couple has meant that the right-wing media have purposely ignored their story of bravery. Now that is an agenda and a sickening one at that and the right-wing press should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. or they would if they had any semblence of manners at all.

[Lee]

Fair play ladies! You are true heros and the world could use more people like you! Im glad i stumbled upon your story

[Brenda]

Wow, they were brave caring women first, they were brave caring lesbians second, sorry but where were all the male campers, helpers, heroes. Nowhere to be seen!! These women will not ask for medals or recognition, they know the score, for 50% of the worlds population (that's the women) and all the families, kids and adults of all kind, you were amazing. You're story will be told, we won't forget, thank you for helping change the world....

[Leesa02]

Such incredibly brave women. Their act or heroism should be known around the world.

[Spamfighter666]

I have to agree with the other naysayers. Making this a lesbian + mainstream media' story is a stretch. There is no doubt these women were heroes. There is also no doubt there were dozens of other heroes who did similar things in those terrifying hours. We didn't see much, if any, coverage about them, either.

"Did they run and hide? No, they're lesbians, so they jumped in their boat and sped toward the slaughter."

Seriously? is that some sort of Good Samaritan oath that is taken? If so, you'd think this thing would come up a whole lot more.

[Sarah]

That's amazing, I can't believe something like this hasn't hit mainstream media.