Þórunn Jónassen, also Þórunn Hafstein Pétursdóttir (1850–1922) was an Icelandic feminist, the first chair of Thorvaldsensfélagið (Thorvaldsen's Society), Iceland's oldest women's association, a post she maintained for 47 years. She was also one of four pioneering women who were elected to

Reykjavík Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...

's city council in 1908. Alongside her in City Council were three other newly elected women;

Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir (September 27, 1856 – March 16, 1940) was an early Icelandic advocate for women's liberation and women's suffrage. She founded the first women's magazine in Iceland, ''Kvennablaðið''. For a period of time she serv ...

, Guðrún Björnsdóttir and Katrín Magnússon.

Biography

Born in Ketilsstaðir á Völlum near Vallanes in eastern Iceland, Þórunn Jónassen was the daughter of Pétur Havstein, a magistrate, and Guðrún Hannesdóttir Stephensen. Following her mother's death when she was only 10 months old, she was raised by foster parents and relatives. She completed her education in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

at Natalie Zahle's School where she was introduced to the importance of fighting for

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...

and education. On returning to Iceland, in 1871 she married Jónasi Jónassen, a

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

at Reykjavík's hospital. They had one daughter, Soffía, born in 1873. In 1875, Þórunn was elected the first chair of Thorvaldsensfélagið, a women's association dedicated to promoting public health and to assisting those in difficulty. She remained in the post until she died 47 years later. She also served as secretary of the National Health Insurance Board and was elected to the city council of Reykjavík in 1908. Þórunn Jónassen died in Reykjavík on 18 April 1922.

References

1850 births 1922 deaths Thorunn Jonassen Thorunn Jonassen Thorunn Jonassen Thorunn Jonassen Thorunn Jonassen Thorunn Jonassen Thorunn Jonassen Thorunn Jonassen {{Iceland-bio-stub