Pride is also a struggle for bread and security
During the International Pride Month, Communist Party of Finland’s Red Rainbow Working Group highlights that Pride is, at its roots, a protest and a movement whose foundation lies in transforming society at a structural level.
In a system where rights and well-being are the result of hard-fought struggles by mass movements rather than a basic starting point, those rights can also be taken away by those in power – often through perfectly legal means. The liberation of sexual and gender minorities can only be achieved through anti-capitalist organising, solidarity, and sustained collective action.
The position and equality of minorities have deteriorated both in Finland and around the world. Minority-inclusive sex education in schools and, for example, activities supporting transgender youth in coping with gender dysphoria have come under fierce attack. Dehumanising rhetoric directed at minorities is receiving increasing public visibility.
Every year, there are concrete examples of violence against LGBTQIA+ people across the globe. Finland is no exception. Under the current far-right government, hostile attitudes and acts have become highly visible and increasingly brutal.
The root cause of global insecurity and the worsening living conditions of both minorities and the wider population is capitalism.
For example, a person involved in organizing Manse Pride was assaulted and an attempt was made to run over a traffic marshal during the parade, a rainbow banner attached to a church wall was set on fire without regard for the damage it could have caused, and a Member of Parliament further fuelled hatred and harassment by posting a social media video throwing a Pride flag into the trash. Most recently, there was widespread outrage over a workshop in Helsinki where transgender youth could make packers to help alleviate gender dysphoria.
Capitalism is the enemy – not minorities
Conservative and far-right groups cynically exploit people’s everyday concerns by portraying minorities as the cause of society’s problems, keeping people fearful and easier to control. In reality, the root cause of global insecurity and the worsening living conditions of both minorities and the wider population is capitalism.
At a time like this, Pride must be an active movement in the streets, workplaces, trade unions, local politics, schools, and the media – throughout the entire year, not only in June.
At the same time, the liberation of LGBTQIA+ people is inseparable from the broader struggle for a just society. It is about livelihoods, work, housing, healthcare, safety, and the right to live openly as oneself without fear or discrimination. Queer politics must therefore recognize its connection to the struggles against racism, poverty, patriarchy, militarism, and inequality.
Organizations are at the heart of democracy
Organization is the foundation of change. That requires communities, movements, political parties, peace organizations, trade unions, civic initiatives, and solidarity networks that bring people together. Organizing means people joining forces to use their collective resources and abilities to achieve the changes they seek – through campaigns, networks, initiatives, and shared political power.
Organizations play such a vital role in society. Precisely because of their potential to create change, they have also become targets of right-wing attacks.
This is why organizations play such a vital role in society. Precisely because of their potential to create change, they have also become targets of right-wing attacks. They create opportunities for participation, expose injustice, provide community and security, and strengthen democratic culture.
Organizations, grassroots communities, and popular movements sustain a level of social capacity without which many struggles would remain fragmented. They continue to bring people together even when public authorities retreat from their responsibilities or when the political climate becomes increasingly hostile.
Queers for Cuba!
The message of self-determination does not end with the individual or stop at national borders. Solidarity with Cuba, among others, is an essential part of our internationalist commitment.
Socialist Cuba has made significant progress in advancing the rights of sexual and gender minorities. In 2022, a new Family Code approved by referendum became one of the most progressive in the world, guaranteeing equal rights to marriage and adoption while also legalizing non-commercial surrogacy. Last summer, Cuba also made it possible for people to change the gender marker in official population records without requiring a medical transition process.
Socialist Cuba has made significant progress in advancing the rights of sexual and gender minorities.
Cuba’s progress has frustrated conservative and far-right forces in the United States that seek to bring the island under their control. We oppose the illegal U.S. economic and oil blockade against Cuba, which severely harms ordinary people’s lives and disproportionately affects those who are already in vulnerable positions. For us, international solidarity means defending the right of peoples to build their own future free from blockades, coercion, and imperialist pressure.
The rainbow belongs in socialism
During Pride Month, we also speak about the future we want to build. To us, a socialist utopia means a society where human needs and ecological sustainability take priority over private profit.
It means a society where housing, healthcare, livelihoods, education, and security belong to everyone, and where every person has a genuine opportunity to live openly as themselves.
It also means a society where freedom and equality are not confined to ceremonial speeches but are reflected in everyday institutions, public services, and the exercise of political power. Building a fundamentally different society is the antidote to the conservative poison that is driving society towards barbarism.
We choose socialism over barbarism!
Communist Party of Finland (SKP) – Red Rainbow Working Group
