Katrín Magnússon


Katrín Sigríður Skúladóttir Magnússon was an early Icelandic feminist who played an important part in promoting women's voting rights and women's education in the late 19th century. She served as a municipal councillor of Reykjavik from 1908 to 1916.

Biography

Born on 18 March 1858 on the island of Hrappsey in north-western Iceland, Katrín Sigríður Skúladóttir was the daughter of Skúli Þorvaldsson Sívertsson, a farmer, and his wife Hlíf Jónsdóttir. Raised on Hrappsey, she first went to Reykjavik when she was 14 to visit her paternal aunt, Katrínar Sívertsen. There she met Guðmundur Magnusson, a physician and academic, who was a relative of Katrínar's husband, Jóni Árnasyn. She married Guðmundur in 1891 and they moved to Copenhagen. They returned to Iceland the following year, settling in Sauðárkrókur after her husband received an appointment at the hospital in Skagafjörður. Kartrín was also interested in medical work but the only training open to women was for midwives, which she did not find attractive. She nevertheless constantly helped her husband, sometimes taking care of his patients.
Katrín became active in social affairs, especially in connection with women's organizations. She joined the Icelandic Women's Association which she chaired from 1903 to 1924. In 1917, she helped to establish the Women's Alliance. She also served on the board of Thorvaldsensfélag, Iceland's oldest women's organization established in 1875. Interested in education, she participated in the school committee at Reyhjavik's Kvennaskólan. Katrín was one of four women who sat on Reykjavik's municipal council from 1908 to 1916.
Katrín Magnússon died in Reykjavik on 13 July 1932.