As the new Marriage Act became law on March 1, 2017, equality was celebrated throughout Finland. But the reform left the national protestant church finding a way out of increased societal isolation. The church does not accept marriage equality.
Finnish Parliament on Friday, November 28, 2014, passed a civic initiative to introduce same genre marriage in Finland. The Legal Committee had previously dismissed the initiative, but the full house voted it down, 105 – 92.
The Legal Committee of the Finnish Parliament suggests the Civic Initiative aiming at introducing genre neutral marriage legislation should be rejected. A parliamentary plenary majority could still restore the Iniative though.
The Finnish Civic Initiative for a change in the marriage legislation will be submitted to Parliament on December 13, 2013. The choice of the date is a good PR gesture but parliamentary acceptance of the reform is far from certain.
Helsinki Pride 2013 was celebrated on June 24-30 against the backdrop of some good news internationally but stalled development in Finland and outright repression in areas close to Finland.
More than hundred thousand citizens had signed the Civic Iniative about a new Marriage Law within the first day of availability. The legal requirement of 50 000 backers was reached in the afternoon of March 19th, 2013.
Finland is likely to remain the only Nordic country not to allow gender-neutral marriage for the time being. The parliamentary standing Legal Committee dismissed a Member´s Bill on the issue on February 27, 2013.
Seta Chair Juha-Pekka Hippi predicts equality based marriage legislation could be introduced in Finland within "five to fifteen" years.
Although a small Christian party has caused inhibition at the cabinet level in Finland, the Foreign Ministry appears to be unaffected. It published criteria for funding that conservative Christian organizations may have difficulty to meet.
The newly elected President of Finland was carried to his victory on a wave of homophobic attitudes. A HS poll indicates that one third of Niinistö's voters chose him because his opponent was a homosexual. Foreign policy views were of less
Over a million Finns (37.4 pc) voted for an openly gay man in the Finnish presidential election. A vasta majority (62.2 pc) voted for a conservative candidate though. Voter turnout was the lowest since the 50s.
The Green candidate Pekka Haavisto exceeded by a huge margin his party´s support levels and made it to the second round of the parliamentary elections.
Members of Parliament have been cautious in signing the Draft Marriage Law Bill submitted in September 2011. Many MPs who had expressed pro-equality views during the election campaign appear to have placed their views on hold.
A parliamentary floor initiative may bring marriage equality. The six party government is unable to as the small Christian Democratic Party had been given a de facto veto right in the talks to form the cabinet.
Olli Stålström, a "survivor" of the 1960s conversion therapies, is a major PR asset for the Finnish gay scene. A leading Finnish newsmagazine published an extensive feature about him in August 2011.
Finnish conscripts had reported some disrespectful and anti-gay slurs of an NCO to the media. The complaint led to a conviction.
Imagine the HLBT scene in Finland becoming radicalized? Not that unlikely any longer. And an upcoming musical on the National Theatre stage may speed up the development.
The small Christian Democrat party was able to have marriage legislation reform removed from the government plans. Registered partnerships have been available for som ten years now.
About 7000 people took part in the parade and 10 000 .. 15 000 in the open air festival. Look at the pictures!
Here we have a Pride week once a year and it's held in Helsinki. (Helsinki Pride 2008: June 23rd - June 29th)