Marte Wexelsen Goksøyr (born 1982) is a Norwegian actress, public speaker, writer and public debater. Born with Down syndrome, she has made a public stance against stigmatisation of disabled people and against selective abortions.
Early life and education
Goksøyr grew up in
Nittedal
Nittedal is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality and city in Akershus Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of ...
and has seven siblings. She later moved to
Oslo
Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
In 2004, Goksøyr played the lead role in ''Cinderella'', a piece she had co-written. The play was performed at the Torshov Theatre. She played the role of Kamomilla in ''
When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town
''When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town'' () is a 1955 Norwegian children's book written and illustrated by Thorbjørn Egner, which tells the story of Kardemomme (Cardamom Town). It is considered one of the most important works in Norwegian childr ...
'' in 2004.Idalou Larse Flerbunnet teaterlek Idalou.no. Retrieved 11 March 2014
She was featured in the 2007
NRK
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (), commonly known by its initialism NRK, is a Norwegian state-run, government-influenced radio and television public broadcasting company.
The NRK broadcasts three national TV channels and thirteen nat ...
documentary ''Bare Marte'' (Just Marte). Together with Siv Svendsen, she has written the play "Jeg svarte på en drøm" (I answered a dream) which is partly based on her own life and she played one of the two characters. The piece has been performed at the National Theatre in Oslo.
Public views
In 2011, '' VG'' published an op-ed headlined "Utrydningstruet" (English: Endangered) by Goksøyr where she opposed a proposal to offer Norwegian women
obstetric ultrasonography
Obstetric ultrasonography, or prenatal ultrasound, is the use of medical ultrasonography in pregnancy, in which sound waves are used to create real-time visual images of the developing embryo or fetus in the uterus (womb). The procedure is a stand ...
at week 12 during pregnancy in order to screen for fetus defects, including Down syndrome. She compared the proposal to the practice of killing disabled children in
Nazi-Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictator ...
Parliament of Norway
The Storting ( ; ) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years based on party-list proportional represe ...
. After a meeting where Prime Minister
Jens Stoltenberg
Jens Stoltenberg (; born 16 March 1959) is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. Since 2025, he has been the Minister of Finance in the Støre Cabinet. He has previously been the prime minister of Norway and secretary general of NATO.
...
had answered questions in the Parliament related to the proposal, Goksøyr approached him in the hall with questions regarding the proposal wearing a T-shirt with the inscription "Utrydningstruet" (Endangered).NTB (18 February 2011 Varsler oppvask etter KrF-stunt '' VG''. Retrieved 7 March 2014 The event created much media attention. Members of other parties criticised the Christian People's Party for having invited her to the hall area of the parliament.
In 2012, Goksøyr published the book ''Jeg vil leve'' (English: I want to live) which both focused on her own life as a person with Down syndrome and political issues related to the disorder. The book contained interviews with then Prime Minister
Jens Stoltenberg
Jens Stoltenberg (; born 16 March 1959) is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. Since 2025, he has been the Minister of Finance in the Støre Cabinet. He has previously been the prime minister of Norway and secretary general of NATO.
...
NRK
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (), commonly known by its initialism NRK, is a Norwegian state-run, government-influenced radio and television public broadcasting company.
The NRK broadcasts three national TV channels and thirteen nat ...
. Retrieved 7 March 2014
During the NRK broadcast of the
Norwegian Constitution
The 'Constitution of Norway'' (complete name: The Constitution of the Kingdom of Norway; Danish: ; Norwegian Bokmål: ; Norwegian Nynorsk: ) was adopted on 16 May and signed on 17 May 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll. ...
bicentennial __NOTOC__
A bicentennial or bicentenary is the two-hundredth anniversary of a part, or the celebrations thereof. It may refer to:
Europe
* French Revolution bicentennial, commemorating the 200th anniversary of 14 July 1789 uprising, celebrated ...
2014, Goksøyr spoke in favour of a diverse and inclusive society and against selective abortion of fetuses with Down syndrome.
Awards and recognition
Goksøyr has received several awards and was the first Norwegian woman to be awarded the
Bjørnson Prize
The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression (''Det Norske Akademi for Litteratur og Ytringsfrihet'') is a Norwegian institution founded by the poet Knut Ødegård in 2003 and also called ''Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson-Akademiet''. It ...
.
*Honorary Award from the Norwegian Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (2009) Dagens litterære '' Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen''. Retrieved 7 March 2014
*Donation award in remembrance of
Wenche Foss
Eva Wenche Steenfeldt Stang (5 December 1917 – 28 March 2011), better known as Wenche Foss (), was a leading Norwegian actress of stage, screen and television.
Personal life
Wenche Foss was born to engineer Christian August Steenfeldt-Foss ( ...
(2011)
*The
Bjørnson Prize
The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression (''Det Norske Akademi for Litteratur og Ytringsfrihet'') is a Norwegian institution founded by the poet Knut Ødegård in 2003 and also called ''Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson-Akademiet''. It ...
(with
Ola Didrik Saugstad
Ola Didrik Saugstad (born 5 March 1947) is a Norwegian pediatrician, neonatologist and neuroscientist noted for his research on resuscitation of newborn children and his contribution to reduce child mortality. He is a Research Professor at Oslo U ...
) (2011)
*Stolhetsprisen (English:: The Pride Prize). Awarded by the
Norwegian Association of the Disabled
The Norwegian Association of the Disabled (, NHF) is an interest organization for disabled people in Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern E ...
and the Norwegian Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities. (2012)
*Livsvernprisen (English: The Protection of Life Prize) Awarded by the organization Menneskeverd. (2012)Randi Hegle (4 January 2012 «Utrydningstruet» får Livsvernprisen '' Vårt Land''. Retrieved 6 March 2014