Reader opinion Equality does not mean confrontation

Opinion|Reader’s opinion

Today International Women’s Day on March 8 is a special holiday. Like many other anniversaries, Women’s Day often includes small gifts and the remembrance of a loved one, but few celebrations involve as many conflicting thoughts, frustrations, and serious reflections. At the heart of the Women’s Day specialty is an annual reminder that there is and is nothing to celebrate.

Is one thing is to rejoice at the steps that have already been taken and at the good, persistent work on equality that Finland has a delightfully long history. It is another matter to lull into a false sense of security and to think that it is no longer up to us to promote equality.

Despite the cautious changes in the climate of debate, many still have too low a threshold to ask why it is important to talk about equality in the prosperous, Nordic society of the 2020s.

At its simplest, the answer is that equality can only be said to have taken place when everyone has access to it. The long-running slowdown in the path of the translate and the human rights violations associated with current legislation are one example of the fact that our society does not treat its members equally. Problems do not remain at the level of government and legislation: in everyday debate, paying attention to equality issues, for example in the workplace, is easily dismissed, even hostile, and the word feminism itself is often interpreted as a deliberate provocation.

Perhaps behind the hostile attitude is the idea that being on the side of women would naturally mean resisting someone else. Belief contradicts the whole concept of equality and the goals of equality work. The theme of the Women’s Day campaign this year is the slogan Break the Bias, which emphasizes the need to shake off stereotypes and unjustified confrontations. You can start with your own small thoughts and words.

Equality is not only a matter for every individual but also for Finland. Gender equality is one of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030, to which Finland is also committed.

Of note in these goals is their interdependence: the crumbling of one also slows down the realization of others, directly or indirectly. Whether it is education, the promotion of peace, sustainable consumption or climate action, the fifth goal of gender equality cannot be ignored.

For equality work anyone can participate. The more people find their way to equality work now, the more celebratory the next Women’s Day will be.

Finally, I want to wish a happy Women’s Day to every woman, no matter what biological sex she was born into.

Katariina Kärkelä

Orimattila

Reader opinions are speeches written by HS readers, selected and delivered by HS’s editorial staff. You can leave a comment or read the principles of writing at www.hs.fi/kirjtamielipidekirjoitus/.