Helsinki Pride 2014

Saturday. Waiting for the parade to begin.

As usual, I participated in Helsinki Pride. I did end up missing a couple of the events I intended to attend, but the opening ceremony on Monday and the parade on Saturday are the most important in any case. Perhaps next year I'll manage to go to the bubble party.

Pride week is important to me not only because of my values, but also because I can reach that inexplicable sense of belonging. I'm a bisexual oddball who has felt more or less like an outsider for most of her life; this one week in June is one of the things that makes it okay.

What incensed many of us during Pride is the fact that the Legal Affairs Committee — one of the many committees in the Parliament — turned down the bill for gender neutral marriage. Thanks a lot, arseholes. However, the matter will still come in front of the Parliament sometime during the autumn, so not all is lost. We might get there within the next couple of years.

Anyway...want to know something amazing? We were 20,000 strong on Saturday. The people were definitely voting with their feet.

All of the photos are from Saturday, because I was a fail-kitty and sadly neglected to take any during the other events. Well, any worth sharing. I do, however, intend to retrace the route we took on the Rainbow City Walk (touring some of the important places in the LGBT history of Helsinki) and snap away, especially towards the end. And then snap a few (dozen) unrelated shots because Embassies and villas and... I just have an appreciation for architecture, okay.

Photos. Yes.

♥

Beware! A homosexual might treat or perform surgery on you!

Mr. Floral McSassypants. He noticed I was photographing him, so he struck a pose. Then we gave each other a smile and a thumbs-up. wh00t for random short connections.

The parade always ends at a park, where we then sit and listen to performers and see what goodies participating organisations have brought with them. As you can see, there were loads of people.

Artsy picture is artsy.

It's Summer, But That Doesn't Mean Holidays

*wink*

I don't have a summer job; nay, I have not been so fortunate. There is, however, an exam taking place in August that needs to be studied for, and a home essay for English Grammar 2. Furthermore...the tiny little detail that I only received a 2 on my BA thesis. The grade ought to be at least a 3 for me to feel anywhere near comfortable, and not only because I am so self-critical—it's also because in order to continue on to do an MA I need an average grade of 3 or higher in Intermediate Studies, and with such a low grade on my thesis, it's looking unlikely. Had I started at the university a couple of years later than I did, it would also have been a requirement to have at least a 3 for the thesis in addition to the aforementioned average. Fun, aye?

Honestly, when I received the e-mail containing my thesis supervisor's comments and the final grade, I was crushed. As in, started crying uncontrollably, that sort of thing. You don't need to hear about that, though. It took a few moments, but I calmed down and am now resolved to do what needs done.

Thus, some of my time before September shall be spent furiously revising the thesis. I mentioned in my previous entry that I might post the whole thing here, but until it has been significantly improved, that will not be happening. I'm sure you'll survive.

As usual, I'm in Helsinki for much of the summer, staying in my old room at my folks' place. There's a fairly long-winded project underway to clean it, and has been for a while now. My current task is to re-organise the bookshelf. After that, I think I'm going to attack the desk area.

It's not all work, though: I get to be with Laura, to attend Helsinki Pride and Ropecon, aaaaand to... GO TO PARIS WITH MY MUM! We're planning to travel pretty much right after Ropecon, in the junction of July and August, and we'll be there for about a week. I'll have to brush up on the little French I've managed to learn thus far, but that won't be too much trouble. Really looking forward to it.

There you have it, a general sort of summer update. I'll try to blog once or twice a week from now on, but no promises!

Gen Silent

This wonderful, beautiful documentary broke my heart and warmed it at the same time. These people have gone through so much hardship, yet are so strong. As they repeatedly say in the film, I cannot possibly comprehend what these elders have experienced — not only because of the age gap, but because of the country I live in and the fact that I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by people who could not give a crap about whom I love. Yes, Finland has not always been and is still not a perfect haven for queer folk, but to me it seems a hair better than USA is even today.

I'm truly grateful that I was given the chance to view this film. There is no DVD for the general public, and the libraries don't have a copy. The viewings are usually rented for events, one such being tomorrow night as part of the Helsinki Pride programme. Problem is, I'm going to other happenings. Last night, I filled out the contact form on the Gen Silent website and hoped for the best — and lo, they responded! I was given a link and a password for a private viewing. So tonight, I sat down to watch it.

At points, I was in tears. At others I smiled. There were even a few chuckles in there, mostly when Lois and Sheri were talking. Those two are brilliant. But, again, so are the rest of them. I want to look up Lawrence Johnson's poetry. The fragments of it recited in the film seemed captivating. I want to hug every one of them still alive, speak with them, go out for the night. March with them.

This is a poignant and most of all important piece of film. If you have the opportunity, go watch it. It's an hour long and worth every minute.