June: Danish pride, women in uniform, and the reverse Jante Law: The Danish Year Part 6

June: Danish pride, women in uniform, and the reverse Jante Law: The Danish Year Part 6

Author: Kay Xander Mellish June 1, 2025 Duration: 8:08

As of this month, girls who turn 18 can be drafted into the Danish military. 

This is new, even though girls in Norway and Sweden have been eligible for the draft for some time. Denmark is proud of its record on gender equality, so maybe it's a wonder it hasn't happened sooner. After all, more than half of the medical doctors in Denmark are female.  More than half of the priests in Denmark are female. The prime minister is female. At only about 10% female, the military is clearly lagging behind.

The way the military draft in Denmark works is like this: Boys, and soon girls, who have just turned 18 are invited to an obligatory  "Defense Day" where their physical and cognitive abilities are tested. If these are satisfactory, you get a lottery number, and if the Danish military doesn't get enough volunteers to meet its needs, you will be called up. 

In recent years, there have been plenty of volunteers, so getting enough people hasn't been much of a problem. And getting into the Royal Life Guards, real-life soldiers who also protect the Danish Royal Family, remains very high status. It's where Denmark's future powerbrokers meet each other.

In 2023, there were about 5000 volunteers, and roughly 25% of them were female. At least in peacetime, the forces have attracted many young women who are athletes, almost as if it were a very disciplined form of an extreme sports challenge.

 

Read more at howtoliveindenmark.com. 

Image created by Kay Xander Mellish via Midjourney, inspired by Danish painters Vilhelm Lundstrøm and CW Eckersberg. Buy the NFT on uncut.network.


For anyone curious about or currently navigating Danish life from the outside, How to Live in Denmark serves as an essential, on-the-ground guide. Hosted by Kay Xander Mellish, an American writer who has made Denmark her home for over ten years, this conversation cuts straight to the heart of the everyday realities in one of the world's most homogenous-and often puzzling-societies. Rather than lengthy lectures, you'll find concise, ten-minute episodes packed with practical advice and cultural translation. This isn't just about travel tips; it's a deep dive into the unspoken rules of Danish social etiquette, the nuances of the local workplace, and the sometimes surprising path to feeling at home in a country frequently labeled the world's happiest. Mellish draws from her own long-term experience to explain everything from navigating the infamous Jantelov to understanding the Danish approach to business meetings and casual Friday night hygge. As Denmark's longest-running English-language podcast, it has become a trusted resource for internationals, whether they are planning a move, newly arrived, or have been settled for years but still occasionally find themselves wondering, "Why do Danes do it that way?" Each episode feels like a chat with a well-informed friend who helps decode the complexities of a fascinating culture, making your time there richer and a lot less confusing.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

How to Live in Denmark
Podcast Episodes
Ballad of the Danish Royal Teenagers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:39
It's hard to be a teenager no matter who you are or where you live, but spare a thought for the two teenagers of the Danish Royal Family. 16-year-old Christian - the future King Christian XI - and 15-year-old Isabella ha…
On the Road: Copenhagen Northwest, beyond the cherry trees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:36
It's springtime, and the cherry trees are about to bloom in Copenhagen Northwest, which is usually the only time people who live outside Northwest bother to go there. Northwest is a working class neighborhood, so much so…
The Secret Strategy for Practicing Spoken Danish [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:08
Newcomers to Denmark often complain that the locals aren't chatty. Danes don't want to converse on the bus, or on the train, or in line at the supermarket, or really anyplace that isn't a designated social zone. Like the…
Queen Margrethe, Denmark's good-humored, much-loved monarch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:00
No matter how they feel about the institution of royalty, almost everyone likes Denmark's Queen Margrethe, who is celebrating 50 years on the throne this week. Every New Year's Eve, the streets of Denmark go quiet as the…
The Non-Drinkers' Guide to Danish Christmas parties [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:03
Drinking, and drinking heavily, is common in Denmark at holiday time. Whether it's the traditional "gløgg" - hot spiced wine with nuts, orange peel and a little brandy - or the specially-made (and specially-strong) Chris…
Denmark's Big and Wonderful Second Hand Economy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:13
Second hand shopping in Denmark is more than a way to save money. It is part of the country's commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. In Denmark, buying used is practical, socially accepted, and often the…
On the Road: The Tunnel to Germany [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:54
Getting to Sweden from Copenhagen is easy: you take a quick trip across the Øresund Bridge in your car or on the train. Getting to Norway from Copenhagen isn't too hard: there's a ferry that runs every day from Nordhavn.…