Marie Simonsen facts for kids
Marie Heiberg Simonsen (born 1 June 1962) is a well-known Norwegian journalist. Since 2003, she has been the political editor for the newspaper Dagbladet. Before that, she worked for other major newspapers like Dagens Næringsliv and VG.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Growing Up and Studying
Marie Simonsen was born in Bodø, a city in Norway. She grew up in Oslo, the capital city. Her father, Gustav Heiberg Simonsen, was a lawyer and a politician.
Marie studied different subjects at the University of Oslo from 1983 to 1985. She studied law, literature, and political science. These studies helped her understand how society and government work.
Starting in Journalism
Marie began her career as a journalist in 1985 at the newspaper Dagens Næringsliv. She was recruited by Kåre Valebrokk, a well-known figure in Norwegian media. She worked her way up, even leading a special features department. From 1994 to 1997, she was the newspaper's correspondent in London, reporting from another country.
Later, she moved to VG, another big newspaper, where she worked from 1997 to 2003. At VG, she became the head of the newspaper's commentary section, which means she was in charge of the opinion pieces. She also gave talks on NRK radio, sharing her thoughts and ideas. In 1990, she helped start the Norwegian Foundation for Investigative Journalism (SKUP), an organization that supports journalists who dig deep into stories to uncover important facts.
Marie Simonsen's Views
Political Ideas
Marie Simonsen describes her political views as being in line with the "liberal" way of thinking that Dagbladet newspaper is known for. This means she generally supports individual freedoms and social progress. She doesn't have a favorite political party that she always supports. She has mentioned Gro Harlem Brundtland, a former Prime Minister of Norway, as someone she looks up to.
Views on Equality
Marie Simonsen is a feminist, which means she believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men. She supports actions that help women get fair chances, like affirmative action. She doesn't agree with "cash-for-care" benefits, which are payments to parents who stay home to care for young children. She believes these benefits can make it harder for women to achieve equality and for immigrant women and their children to become part of society.
She has also talked about how women who are public figures sometimes face more online harassment and threats than men. She worries that this might make some women hesitate to share their opinions in public discussions. She also does not support the Norwegian monarchy (the royal family) or the Norwegian state church.
Public Debate and Challenges
In 2007, Marie Simonsen wrote about a public incident involving paramedics in Oslo. She commented on how people are treated differently based on their background. Her comments, and those of other writers, led to a legal case. In 2014, the Supreme Court of Norway made a decision that affected Dagbladet newspaper. This ruling caused many journalists and media leaders to worry about how it might affect freedom of the press and the ability of journalists to express their opinions.
Books by Marie Simonsen
- Marie Simonsen and Ingunn Yssen (2010): Bråk! Den store likestillingssvindelen. Aschehoug Forlag. ISBN: 9788203291845
