Berit Stueland became Berit Moore later Berit Thornberry (1937 – 2012) was a Norwegian born activist for sex education and disability rights. She translated a copy of The Little Red Schoolbook into English which was declared obscene and with Megan du Boisson she founded the Disablement Income Group
Berit Stueland | |
|---|---|
| Born | Berit Stueland c.1937 |
| Died | 2012 |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Known for | activist for sex education and disability rights. |
| Spouses |
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Life
editStueland was born in the Norwegian port and city of Bergen in about 1937. Her childhood was during the second world war and her father was a member of the Norwegian resistance. He was also a church minister and her mother was a teacher. In 1958 she decided to become an au pair in England and at a youth group she met her future husband, Brian Moore. They had two children and shortly after the second was born in 1961 she was given a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.[1] Megan du Boisson had also been given a similar diagnosis.[2]
Megan du Boisson and Moore wrote a letter to The Guardian on 22 March 1965.[3] At the time, social security payments to disabled people depended on the cause of that impairment. People injured in war or in the workplace were entitled to significantly more support than the "civilian" disabled. Married women were very poorly served.[1] The Disablement Income Group (DIG) was founded in 1965 by what was called two "housewives".[4] The group's co-founder Megan du Boisson died in a car accident while driving to attend the 4th AGM of DIG. Du Boisson's role was taken by Mary Greaves.
Her obituary reported that she had given the phrase "Does he take sugar?" to a BBC producer and this had then been used for the title long running radio programme about disability issues.[1]
She came to notice again when she translated a copy of The Little Red Schoolbook into English in 1970.[1] It was published in 1971.[5] The book as said to be seditious and was judged obscene as it dealt with sex and authority in an open way.
During the seventies she married again and she was working with the charity Child Poverty Action Group.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Moore, Ingrid (2012-03-19). "Berit Stueland obituary". the Guardian. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- ^ Hunt, Paul (2022). "Megan Du Boisson – An Appreciation (1969)" (PDF). gmcdp.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ Maggie Davis & Ken Davis (2009). TO AND FROM GROVE ROAD - Independent living, disabled people, social care, activists fighting segregation and abuse. TBR Imprint. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9781913148089.
- ^ Kinrade, Derek (2007). Alf Morris: People's Parliamentarian. National Information Forum. pp. 139–144. ISBN 978-0955751509.
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 - In Living Memory, Series 8, The Little Red Schoolbook". BBC. Retrieved 2023-01-17.