Sami Kuvaja was in a festive mood in the procession. His outfit included Inflatable wings.
HS’s photo reportage shows Pride’s joy along the march.
This year’s Helsinki Pride is particularly significant in terms of the history of the rainbow, because in 2024 it will be exactly 50 years since the founding of the human rights organization Seta.
In its foundation year 1974, Seta organized for the first time The liberation days eventwhich wanted to draw attention to the association’s demands for equality and human rights.
Over the years, Saturday’s parade and the park party became the highlights of the Liberation Days, which are what the current Helsinki Pride parade is known for today.
Once again, a record number of people were expected to join the procession. The procession started from Senate Square at noon and headed through the city center, meandering towards Kaivopuisto.
HS’s photo reportage shows Pride’s joy along the march.
Venla Varjokivi did Elina Tuomola’s make-up at Kicks’ Glam Station in Senatintor shortly before the start of the procession. “I asked for color and sparkle,” says Tuomola.
64-year-old Aulis Lind participated in the Liberation Days for the first time in 1979. That year, there were only a few dozen people on the steps of the Parliament building during the day, but there were four hundred participants in the evening party. Lind wanted to thank MP Päivi Räsä (kd) for campaigning on behalf of sexual minorities, because “everyone wants to show their support for us because of Räsänen’s speeches”.
Santeri Helinheimo, elected Mr Fetish Finland in 2024, led the block of MSC Finland Tom’s Club. The association is a fetish organization for men interested in, among other things, leather, rubber and uniforms as well as sports equipment.
A few participants in the procession could see signs giving out free hugs. Viola Kuru said that she got her first hug on the subway ride to the procession.
Rainbow socks were all the rage among the participants.
The sign Tristan Nikolai is holding is a reference to the Finnish remix version of the Italian song L’amour Toujours by Gigi D’Agostino, in which Seppo Taalasmaa, the character of the series Salatut elämat, is sung to be bisexual.
Queen Selena walked in the front of the procession right behind the first Dykes on bikes bikers.
Drag queens Sanelma Hassutpallot and Karjalan Piirakka walked in the procession together.
Lotta Örhmark was on the move with her daughters. Louna Lindén is in her mother’s arms and Vella Lindén is walking.
The Helsinki Samba Carnival was also represented at Pride. Sari Ullgren-Lajunen danced at the head of the crowd.
In the sex workers’ block, they shouted “bank accounts for whores”, because sex workers in Finland may have difficulties in getting a bank account opened due to their work. The red umbrella is a symbol of sex worker activists.
In the block of Puistokatu 4, the children were sheltered from the sun under a large unicorn while riding a box bike. Puistokatu 4 is also known as the House of Science and Hope, and it serves as a workspace for researchers and other actors who strive to build an ecologically sustainable future.
“My body is not a mistake! Stop the mutilation!” shouted in the block carrying intersex symbols.
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