Helsinki Pride week culminated in Saturday afternoon’s Pride parade, which has been organized for the first time since 2019.
Chairman of the board of Helsinki Pride Panu Mäenpää told Yle that the event went well and no disturbances have been reported, although there had been fears of such in advance.
Yle followed the procession from Senatintor to Kaivopuisto and also asked the participants how they think attitudes have changed over the years.
Ansku Bergström, Riitta Suominen and Elina Gustafsson taking a selfie in Senatintor just before the start of the parade. Silja Viitala / General People started gathering at Senate Square for the 2022 Pride March at 10:30am. Silja Viitala / General “It’s great that today’s youth accepts diversity,” Hanna Jäppinen and Sanna Suomalainen told Yle. They added that Pride raises awareness, visibility and normalizes differences. Silja Viitala / General Dressed in white wings, Juho told Yle that he decided on his outfit a long time ago. “I wanted to be like an angel who fell from heaven,” he said. Silja Viitala / General Henri Hellsten, Tero Lahtinen and Jukka Pellikka. “I myself came out of the closet in the early 2000s, before that I always tried to change,” Lahtinen said. Silja Viitala / General The steps of the Senate Square were full of people by 12 o’clock on Saturday. Silja Viitala / General Lola, Darling B, Violet, Marley Davidson and Lady in Black – performing under their own stage names – participated in Helsinki Pride for the first time. They are part of an over 60 burlesque troupe. Silja Viitala / General Minna Väistö takes a selfie with Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) in Senate square. “Marin is a good prime minister who has managed things well,” Väistö told Yle. Silja Viitala / General Helsinki Pride parade participants walking from Senate Square. Silja Viitala / General At the corner of Aleksanterinkatu and Mannerheimintie, someone shouted “What is this illegality” with a megaphone? Pride parade participants responded with songs and chants. Silja Viitala / General “Thirty years ago, I couldn’t have been here in a skirt,” 69-year-old Seppo Kiuru said. Silja Viitala / General Helsinki Pride week was celebrated for the first time in 2000, and the event has been organized every year since 2006. Silja Viitala / General Ari Helenius, Heini (who only went by his first name), Heli-Sanna Hautsalo and Ellen Karlsson in Mannerheimintie. The four of them are members of the Afrodisiac dance group. Silja Viitala / General “I want to show my support by dressing like this [in his priest’s clothes]78-year-old pastor Jaakko Harjuvaara from Järvenpää told Yle. “There is nothing unscriptural about this, in my interpretation.” Silja Viitala / General Juha Järvinen, Iisa Paanajärvi, Amos Järvinen, Ami Paanajärvi, Amanda Järvinen and Ari Paanajärvi joined the parade. Silja Viitala / General The Pride parade was known in Finland until the 1990s on Liberation Days. The name was later changed to Pride in accordance with international practice. Silja Viitala / General The parade approached Kaivopuisto at 14:00. Silja Viitala / General Neiti Lumiere, Marko Fali, Jere Sivonen and Manu Uimi aka Cici Mast on Kasarmikatu. Silja Viitala / General Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) and her entourage arrived at Kaivopuisto shortly after 2 p.m. Silja Viitala / General “Attitudes have changed a lot, first we were outlaws and then sick. But today things are better. You define who you are and what you do. It’s up to you what you think about your gender identity, not anyone else’s. define who I am,” said Maria Palmroth from Hamina To Yle. In the picture, Palmroth kisses his wife from Pirjo Mielo. Silja Viitala / General “I came here to meet other poly people,” said 47-year-old Sami Kyllönen from Järvenpää. “In recent years, attitudes have changed a lot and the situation has improved. Young people get information about different identities and trends online. It’s great that the old prejudices have been overcome.” Silja Viitala / General The Pride march ended with a picnic in Helsinki’s Kaivopuisto. Silja Viitala / General Source: The Nordic Page