The centre’s silence on Pride is receiving criticism from within the party
MEMBERSHIP Center members disagree on how visibly and vocally the party should participate and support Pride, reports Helsingin sanomat newspaper.
Harriet HipThe district manager of central Helsinki criticized the party for its silence on the rights of gender and sexual minorities foreign contribution appeared in Suomenmaa, published in Oulu, on July 5.
“Who in the management of the center decided that the center should play dead for Pride week?” he asked, referring to the lack of communication and party statements about what is the world’s leading event celebrating the rights of gender and sexual minorities.
“When did the Center become such an introverted, stubborn and extremely conservative party? Where did that leave education, humanity and respect for the constitution and human rights?”
Olivia LöytänenThe vice president of Center Students Finland, described Pride as “red snow” for some members of the party. press release published before the week-long event. “[T]here there is no understanding or willingness to understand how important the rights of gender and sexual minorities and their development are.”
The leaders of Center Students Finland and Suomen Keskusnuorten said in the press release that they were disappointed with the parent party’s “misrepresentation” of Pride.
An example of this kind of disinformation is the justification of the initiative presented to the Oulu city council Pekka Aittakumpu (Center), Marja-Leena Kemppainen (CD) and Jenna Simula (PS) according to Aleksi Sandroos, chairman of Finland’s Central Youth. The trio suggested that the city refrain from cooperating and supporting the event because it is necessary to “protect children from disturbing content.”
The initiative also pointed out that equality is reduced to “defending a certain political ideology”.
The Oulu city council rejected the proposal with two votes in favor and eight against.
Aittakumpu confirmed to Helsingin Sanomat on Friday that he thinks the center should continue to be silent about Pride and describes the movement as “mostly a left-wing ideology that gives people value for intersectional feminism and demands, for example, gender reassignment. Procedures are possible for young people”.
“I think it’s strange that equality and non-discrimination are tied to one political movement that lobbies decision-makers regarding trans law, for example,” he said.
Internal criticism attracted attention on social media during Helsinki Pride.
Jere TapioThe vice-chairman of the Central Youth of Finland appealed Annika SaarikkoThe chairman of the center, considering that by remaining silent, the party “coldly turns its back on a large number of people, including the members of the center”.
Sandroos told Helsingin Sanomat that expressing support on social media is a minimum requirement.
“The most important thing would be an internal discussion about how different people are in the center and in the world and what kind of challenges they face,” he commented. “Silence, I think, is a way of conceding to those who don’t want to fight for these things.”
Aleksi Teivainen – HT