From micke@seta.fi Fri Apr 9 17:42:36 1993 From: micke@seta.fi (Mika Torvinen) Subject: This is Finland -newsletter 1/93 vol 2 THIS IS FINLAND 1/93, vol 2 -newsletter in English from Finland, published approximately 4 times a year, circulation in ILGA conferences, Nordic Council for Homosexuals. This is the first electronic edition! Editorial staff: Mika Torvinen, micke@seta.fi; Haski Lehtikuusi, haski@smurf.seta.fi; Jukka Lehtonen, jukka@seta.fi; Jorma Hentila, jorma@seta.fi; Tiina Miettinen, tiina@seta.fi SETA network information: Kari Koivumaki, kari@seta.fi (postmaster) LEGISLATION General In Finland the law prohibiting homosexual relations was repealed in 1971. Before that relations between women and relations between men were both illegal. Homosexuality was removed from the official classification of diseases in 1981. With the decriminalisation the age of consent for homosexual relations was set at 18 years, while for heterosexual relations it was 16 years. At the same time a law was added to the penal code which made public encouragement of "fornication" between two persons of the same sex, as the law describes homosexual relations. This so-called encouragement clause has had virtually no judicial significance. Legislation does not prohibit discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, and it does not recognise relationships between two women or two men. The latter gives rise to inequalities of many kinds, one example being the statutes relating to inheritance. If two women or two men living together within a relationship wish to leave each other an inheritance, the inheritor has to pay three times as much inheritance tax as heterosexual married person would pay. Some laws, and the statutes and provisions relating to them, are, however, neutral, in the sense that they include also women or men couples. Two women or two men living in a relationship together are for example qualified to be granted a state mortgage, as long as they fulfil all of the conditions set by the law. Pending Legislative Reforms The whole of the Finnish criminal code is being reformed at present: part of the reform has already been approved in the parliament and the Ministry of Justice has prepared the proposal for the second part of the reform, which consists of statutes dealing with discrimination in general as well as those dealing with discrimination at work. The next part of the reform is presently being planned in the ministry of justice. A working group dealing with sexual offenses and crimes will obviously draw the conclusion about the age of consent that should be set to the same level for both gays and straights. The age of consent is to be set to 16. Also the encouragement clause is to be abolished. The government is introducing the pending reforms to the parliament in summer and they are likely to pass. Registered Partnership In April 1992 a commission appointed by the Ministry of Justice left its proposal to the Ministry. Its task was to investigate the way in which the concept of family is to be understood in legislation in which the rights, privileges and obligations of the individual are defined according to his or her status within the family, and what sorts of changes have taken place with regards to the formations of families. A basic assumption of the investigation that legislation is to take a neutral attitude towards different ways of living together, unless some other attitude can be separately justified, was proved to be true.The commission's point was that there would be enacted a law, which would give a possibility to registrate the partnership between two women or two men. Only the representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church left his disagreeing opinion. The Ministry of Justice has received 40 statements concerning the proposal from different authorities, institutions, and associations, including SETA. Half of these have not taken stand on the proposed registered partnership. Seven statements are for and four statements against the proposal. The rest are either expressing reservations or are expecting further information. In the beginning of February a member of parliament Ms Outi Ojala (Left Alliance) made a proposal concerning the registration of the same-sex partnerships. "According to the proposal two persons of the same sex can registrate their partnership. With a few exceptions the partnership law would follow the lines of (straight) marriage. The differences in the proposal compared to the Danish and Norwegian partnership laws are the possibility to adopt or foster a child and the possibility that the registrating partner does not have to be a Finnish citizen or does not have to live in Finland." The proposal woke a fierceful two-and-a-half hour debate in the parliament. After the debate the Archbishop of the Finnish Lutheran Church, Mr John Vikstrom, condemned the fundamentalist members of parliament for taking a negative stand against homosexual men and women, and he was supporting the homosexual partnerships. However, he repeated the Church's negative view on registration of the same-sex partnerships. Legislative Objectives of SETA Ever since its foundation in 1974 SETA has called for equalisation of the ages of consent as well as the repeal of the so-called encouragement clause. At the same time the uniform age of consent should lowered to fifteenyears. One of SETA's objectives has also been to make discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation a criminal offence. Recently it has become increasingly important to introduce legislation protecting those infected by the HI-virus from discrimination. SETA also supports lesbians' rights to artificial insemination. SETA has proposed that in Finland, too, a law should be enacted dealing with the registration of couples of the same sex, although many within SETA view such a law critically on the grounds that a registered couple is acopy of heterosexual patterns which even within heterosexual society are beginning to be seen out of date.There are many who see amendments to already existing laws in order to guarantee equality as a better alternative. The Political Preconditions for Reform SETA has, in various connections, analysed the attitudes of the politicalparties towards the legislative reforms mentioned above. It is evident that the most positive attitudes are shown by the Left Alliance, the Green Alliance, and the Swedish People's Party. The Social Democratic Party and the Conservative Party view such reforms with only slight reservations, while Centre Party has greater reservations. The Finnish Rural Party and the Finnish Christian League take a negative stand on such reforms. Contacts:Tiina Kivinen -> tmk@seta.fi Jorma Hentila -> jorma@seta.fi Mika Torvinen -> micke@seta.fi SETA SETA as an association has lived through many changes. It has always been, and still is, a mixed association. The members are both men and women (or something else). The original SETA of the 70's has developed into a national association with 14 member associations with approximately 2,000 individual members all around the country. SETA is a haven for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transvestites and transsexuals. The local associations host different kinds of groups within them, ranging from Senior Gay Men, and Lesbian and Gay Students to Christian Gays and Lesbians 30 something. Funding comes mainly from the State and municipalities, one part is covered with the revenues from discos and other parties. Unlike elsewhere in Europe, the Finnish Gay Culture is not separated between the commercial, and the political scenes. For example, in Helsinki, the biggest gay disco is mainly owned by SETA. SETA also has a major role in AIDS prevention work. It organised an Aids Support and Information Centre network in the mid-80's. There are now six support centres in different towns helping people with issues concerning HIV -infection and Aids. The clientele is mainly heterosexual. The Aids Support and Information Centres are also mostly funded by the State and the municipalities. The work done in local organisations is almost entirely on a voluntary basis. SETA employs currently six people. Besides, there has been a possibility to use unemployed people whose salary is then paid by the State. Four SETA organizations facilitate five unemployed workers. From 1.1.1993 effective it is possible for civil service attendants (non-military choice) to serve in SETA. The Aids Support and Information Centres employ altogether 16 people. The work the employees and voluntary workers do is not only social work and counselling concentrating on sexual minorities' problems, but also political work, human rights. SETA runs SETA-magazine and program-mes in five local radio stations. A demand for sexual education from the society has given SETA an oppor-tunity to go out to schools. Because of the somewhat explosive demand, SETA has employed an education project worker to design the internal and external education and material for it. Contacts: AIDS+HIV -> kari@seta.fi SETA-magazine -> editor@seta.fi general -> seta@seta.fi Social work -> ari@seta.fi INTERNATIONAL ISSUES Refugees Last Spring there was the first case of a homosexual seeking a refugee status from Finland.After a speeded handling (1+ months, normally 10 months) Kostja Goncharev from Russia got a refusing statement. It was mentioned in the criteria that NO cases under paragraph 122 had been brought to court in Russian Federation in past 12 months (NB!).Kostja has filed a complaint and the case is in progress at present. It seems unlikely that the High Court will change the ruling. However, there is a slight chance of getting Kostja a permission to stay in the country on humanitarian grounds. Kostjas case has been covered by the Finnish media. There has been few other persons from Russia who have been seeking the asylum on the grounds of sexual orientation from Finland. Their cases are pending at this point. They have not wanted their case public. Contacts:Jukka Lehtonen -> jukka@seta.fi Mika Torvinen -> micke@seta.fi Twinning Project Due to the several contacts between Finnish and Estonian lesbians starting two years ago, it is natural that SETA is twinning Eesti Lesbiliit (Estonian Lesbian Union) together with member organizations in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Oulu. As a start of the twinning SETA had invited 50 persons from Estonia to participate in the Helsinki Gay Pride in August 1992. Contacts have been ongoing and in various fields, such as research, culture, and of course social. SETA gave start up money for the ELL office and Hotline. In the end of May ELL women are opening a cafe in Tallinn. SETA has started to educate the the telephone counselling personnel, and is giving hand in teaching how to use computers. Of course co-operation is conducted along resources. Eesti Gayliit (Estonian Gay Union) is gradually developing its social activities. The commercial scene in Tallinn is also developing and the are biweekly discos nowadays. Contacts:Jukka Lehtonen -> jukka@seta.fi Mika Torvinen -> micke@seta.fi Kati Mustola -> mustola@seta.fi Haski Lehtikuusi -> haski@smurf.seta.fi DEVELOPMENTS Finnish Lesbian And Gay Studies Only during the late 1980's have Lesbian and Gay Studies got fully under way in Finland. Lesbian Studies Network was founded in 1989 and acts as a joined working body for women interested in the field, as well as two-year-old Gay Studies Network for men. Together they have about one hundred members. They function jointly by membership bulletins of both networks four times a year. Last year saw the first university-level Lesbian and Gay Studies course when "Daughters of Sappho - Lectures in Lesbian Studies" was carried out as a part women's studies programme in the University of Helsinki. Lesbian Studies course seems to have established its space within Women's studies at the Helsinki University. A similar course was held in the Fall 1992. Also several lectures were held in the universities of Kuopio and Turku. In order to facilitate research a Central Library of Lesbian and Gay Studies has been founded in connection with the Library of Social Sciences of the University of Helsinki. At the moment it contains ca. 150 books related to the subject. Relevant literature can also be found in the departements of women's studies in Helsinki and Turku, as well as in various small libraries of the organizations of sexual minorities, eg SETA-libraries in Helsinki and Turku. Contacts for both Lesbian and Gay Studies networks: Lesbian Studies Network, C/o Tuula Juvonen, Pyhajarvenkatu 7 A 2, SF-33200 TAMPERE, Finland; Gay Studies Network -> Jukka Lehtonen, jukka@seta.fi International Conferences Helsinki In April 23.-25. 1993 there will be held an international Lesbian and Gay Studies conference under the title "Re/Deconstructing Identity Politics". Among the lecturers are Judith Schuyf from the Netherlands and Mary McIntosh from the UK.The Lesbian and Gay Studies networks with the Women's Studies department at Helsinki University are organizing the conference. Contact: Jukka Lehtonen -> jukka@seta.fi Tampere Third European Psychologists' Conference will be held in July 1993 in Tampere. Same time the Association for European Lesbian and Gay Psychologists will hold its annual meeting. Within the conference there will be a one day symposium with the theme "Lesbian and Gay Issues in Psychology". Among lecturers are Celia Kitzinger (UK) and Mirelle Ranaivo (France). Contact Tuula Juvonen, see above mailing address. Turku Nordic Forum 1994 for women will be held in Turku. Over 10.000 women are to be expected to join the forum. Turun Seudun SETA is coordinating and hosting seminars, discussions, cultural events and lot of fun for lesbians. Contact: Haski Lehtikuusi -> haski@smurf.seta.fi Publishing News The first Finnish lesbian and gay publishing company Meikanainen Oy Ab, celebrated its first anniversary in January 1993. Company has published first ever lesbian poetry anthology, a book of lesbian biographies, anthology of lesbian short stories and a story of two gay men affected with AIDS. Next spring there will be published a book on Lesbian Studies. Publisher plans publishing also gay novel anthology and gay biographies. Contact: Pia Jattomaki -> pia@seta.fi Mika Torvinen -> micke@seta.fi Transvestites and Transsexuals Transvestites and transsexuals have been presented several times this year in the media on different occa-sions. In several lifestyle articles the reporters have discussed with Finnish transsexuals about their feelings and prejudices they face from the society, especially when concerning the medical operations of correcting one's biological sex. Transvestites have been in the spotlight also in context of being "the Very Finn... with added extra value", ie. gender discussion and the possibility of changing gender roles from time to time. Transsexuals have their own association and transvestites have formed own groups inside and outside of SETA.The Office for Social and Health Affairs (governmental) has asked SETA to co-operate in transsexual issues and forms like social support programmes and financial aid for education have taken place so far. Contact: Tiina Miettinen -> tiina@seta.fi Kate Alhola -> kate@seta.fi CULTURE Turku Turku Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is an event arranged by Turun Seudun SETA. Turun Seudun SETA is a member of National SETA as well as a member of ILGA. The first festival took place in April 1992. The organizers brought to attention 17 different films and videos in 25 screenings. The first festival turned out to be a success despite of the fact that the budget was minimal and no state/municipal funding was available. The festival wishes to bring to Finland gay and lesbian films since they do not find their way to the commercial film scene. The aim is to celebrate gay/lesbian culture and film as well as make it visible and thus increase the understanding in the society as a whole. The festival is a non-profit activity financed by Turun Seudun SETA and the organizing committee works on voluntary and unpaid basis. The 1993 festival will be held in November. The preliminary programme will be hopefully out in late September. Contact Hannele Lehtikuusi -> haski@smurf.seta.fi Helsinki Several performance groups started to evolve last year and this year has seen the coming of new style lesbian/gay varietee, drag and musicians to the cultural scene of Helsinki. There are constantly performances and a collection of classical music, schlagers, pop music combined with body-painting, poetry, photo and painting exhibitions along a book exhibition were shown in the August Gay Pride in the city. In 1992 over 3.000 attendants joined the Gay Pride activities. Helsingin seudun SETA will arrange the 1994 Gay Pride Week. This is to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the national SETA and is to hightlight 94 activities in Finland as a whole. Contact: Mika Torvinen -> micke@seta.fi Tampere Tampere will be the hosting city for the 1993 Gay Pride. The preparations are fully under way and relevant information can be sought from Tampereen seudun SETA, see Addresses list for details. Tampere also hosts annually two bigger lesbian and gay events, which bring hundreds of attendants to the scene. Contact: Petri Juutilainen -> petri@treseta.seta.fi Oulu SETA in Oulu has traditionally held the midsummer festivities for Lesbians and Gay Men in Finland. The midsummer festival is being celebrated throughout the country, but SETA in Oulu has been able to attract several hundred lesbians and gay men to drive/fly/take trains to up North (to the midst of mosquito clouds, cannot go outside; midnight sun, cannot sleep...). ________________________________________________________________ SETA National Organization for Lesbians and Gay Men in Finland, member of ILGA PO Box 55 SF-00531 HELSINKI FINLAND tel+358-0-1358302, fax+358-0-1358306 Office: Oikokatu 3, Kruununhaka E-mail: seta@seta.fi Postmaster: kari@seta.fi