Helsinki Pride 2019

Helsinki Pride takes place the week after the midsummer. As always it is full of different activities for me.

The first one was a panel discussion about rainbow rights organized by the UN youth of Helsinki. I was one of the panelists to tell about the circumstances in the past and the needs for the future. The age range of the panelists was from 18 to 69 years. We concluded that much positive has happened but still much waits to be done. There also were some extra specialist speeches. One of them was held by Tommi Paalanen from the sexuality rights organization Sexpo ry. He emphasized the hazard of co operation of ultra conservative forces all over the world against the sexual and rainbow rights.  

The UN youth panel, Photo by UN youth of Helsinki

On Tuesday we had our traditional Pride peer support evening for transvestites with almost 20 attendees.

On Wednesday the most important thing was the information stand about the trans legislation at the Pride House, which was situated at the National Museum this time.  The museum had really invested in the Pride so we had practically anything we needed there, thanks for the super friendly and helpful staff.

At the Pride House information stand with Tanja

We noticed that our stand was really needed. Ordinary people kept asking what they could do and we asked them to follow the situation, sign the petitions, attend the demonstrations, share the pro trans material on social media and influence the politicians they know. The situation just now is that we will have a new law that separates the juridical and medical trans process, but thanks for the religious members of some government parties the right to change one’s juridical gender applies only the people over 18 years.

The other important target was the young trans people who seemed to be rather ignorant of their rights for changing their first name according to the new name law. Unfortunately our stand was situated in the place that only few of them found us.

We also had a not so much wanted person who even had a notebook for the critical questions of our politics. He had concerns about the statistical, medical and many other confusion because of the juridical definition of the gender not following the chromosomes of the individual. We comforted him the statistics will be even more precise when the gender is determined on the basis of the one the individual considers to be the right one. And what comes to the medical confusions, professionals should be able to handle the situations.

On Wednesday evening I attended the dance hall dances. I was there only a little time but still had a wonderful opportunity to be danced by an excellent gentleman – to be lead instead of leading is still in practice but in this case the signs where to move were both logical, clear and imaginative.

At the Dance Hall Ball

On Thursday we (the trans political committee of Seta) organized a panel about the legislation impacts for the trans people. The panelists consisted of a trans man, a trans woman, a young non binary and a transvestite (me). We concluded that there are severe flaws in the situation but on the other hand there also is legislation supporting our life – partly not implemented in the reality though. The situation is also very different depending where you live and work.

Having a glass of something after the panel with Tuija, Hanna-Maria and Tanja 

The National Museum recorded the panel as a document of the present day so we stayed as a part of the Finnish history.

Friday has traditionally been the day for service. I also made the traditional mushroom pie for the picnic after the parade on Saturday. As I was taking the materials out of the larder my cell phone ringed. TaruNina and Sari Kristiina wanted to visit so I called them in to observe my pie making.

With the pie observation committee

The Helsinki Pride parade has increased its number of attendees year by year. This time it was something over 100 000. We marched in the Seta block. Unfortunately we failed to have our banderole so many of our friends didn’t find us.  

The starting point, the Senate Square

Pride and joy

Pride and joy

Shame and hate: The not so huge counter demonstrators organized by Finnish Agenda Europe activists

We had our picnic camp in the outskirts of the park to be able to chat to people we met. The pie was a hit as usual. We thought our information stand should have been there to be found much more people who would have needed the information.

Our camp

The last bite of the pie for the late birdie Maimu

One of the main performers Mercedes Benzo, also happened to attend our panel 

At the Sherry Coffee Ball with TaruNina 

And as almost always, we ended our Pride week at the Sherry Coffee Ball organized by “mature lesbian” organization Mummolaakso. I even had an open entrance for the official closing party but we had so much fun at the Ball I didn’t go there.