Suffragettes´ bequest lays foundation for modern Finnish feminist movement

History of Unioni, The League of Finnish Feminists tells colourful story of radical women's organisation

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By Saska Snellman
     
      "To mark this day I want to light all of the candles in my chamber. Let them tell passers-by that the age of women is coming."
      With these words, author Maikki Friberg, one of the founders of Unioni, The League of Finnish Feminists, celebrated the coming of universal suffrage in the magazine Naisten ääni ("Women's Voice") in 1906.
     
A century later, in the apartment bought with money bequeathed by Friberg, a book Suffragettien sisaret ("The Sisters of the Suffragettes") was published, written by researchers Minna Hagner and Teija Försti.
      The book is testimony that many of the hopes of Friberg and the suffragette sisters have been realised, but also that the arrival of the age of women is yet to happen.
      "Unioni's agenda has some of the very same issues that it had in the early 1900s, such as equal pay, elimination of prostitution, and the possibilities of women for advancement, but fortunately, giant steps are sometimes taken, such as last week's fertility law", said Unioni's chairwoman Veronika Honkasalo on Thursday when the book was released.
      In the book, the history of Unioni, and to some extent, that of the women's movement, is divided into three phases.
     In the pioneer period, from 1892 to 1920, there was a struggle for the right to vote, and a wife's rights, as well as opposition to prostitution.
      In the transitional period, 1930-1960, activities of the women's movement dwindled, and members of Unioni grew old and grey. However, the monetary fortunes of two arch-suffragettes, Maikki Friberg and Ida Salin secured the activities of the organisation.
     The real estate property that was bequeathed by them has secured the economic, and psychological independence of the organisation. Not having to fill out applications for state subsidies, the group can afford to use strong language at times. Among established women's organisations, Unioni is the most radical, and in the view of some, the most frightening.
     
Discussion on gender roles began in the 1960s - about what a man is, and what a woman is, and why. It was seen in Unioni as the emergence of a new women's movement.
     Under a slogan according to which that which is personal is political, members of Unioni met in consciousness-raising groups to discuss family democracy, violence, and equality education. Some of the phenomena of this period - for instance self-defence groups - gave rise to the perception that Unioni is anti-male.
     Unioni activities continue to be off-limits to men, although there has been cautious discussion in the organisation about possibly opening the doors to men.
     
Unioni did not open its doors to lesbians until the 1980s. "Understanding grew in the sexually negative and homophobic organisation that there are also differences among women", wrote Teija Försti.
     The most recent change took place in the 21st century, with a flood of young academically trained women into Unioni. A number of new groups have helped change perceptions of humourless and overly-serious feminists.
     Current themes promoted by Unioni include the long-standing ones of equality in the work place, and the newer ones of the image of women put forward in the media, and pressures on appearance experienced by young girls.
     
Not even 114 years of history have freed the suffragettes of the fear attatched to them. "Unioni has a stable position, but nevertheelss we always have to justify ourselves. Feminism is still a marginal phenomenon in Finland", Honkasalo says.
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 20.10.2006


Links:
  Unioni, The League of Finnish Feminists

SASKA SAARIKOSKI / Helsingin Sanomat
saska.saarikoski@hs.fi