There has been a storm surrounding Jessica Stegrud in recent weeks. When the government's cultural canon was discussed in Aktuellt, she wrote a post on X about Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand (The Moderate Party) and the Social Democrats' cultural policy spokesperson Lawen Redar.
"It's telling that it's a Swedish-born Kurd and a Persian who are debating a Swedish cultural canon in Aktuellt.”
The post received harsh criticism and the SD stated that they had ”had a conversation” with Stegrud.
Poor timing
In the interview with Kvartal, Stegrud admits that her timing has not been the best.
I think you can discuss the topic itself, but you should have done it at a completely different time. It took focus away from what I think is so incredibly good: our cultural canon that we have fought for, I really believe in that idea one hundred percent.
A little over a week later, the magazine Expo revealed that a man with ties to right-wing extremism spread a video clip where he follows and confronts two teenagers – and that Stegrud had held the camera. Stegrud believes that she has done nothing wrong except that she lent the film when the man asked her.
Full confidence
According to her, the youths have called the man, among other things, ”horunge” and ”jävla nazist”.
One can also turn the tables. Threaten someone in the way that these young men did. You should not get away with this in any way. Is it not also a bit of civic courage to actually stand up against it?
Despite criticism and demands that she be fired, Stegrud says that she still has the party leadership's full confidence.
Of course, I appear to be completely crazy. I am not. But that's how media logic works today. I can only regret it.
