Finland is a quite open and safe country to live for LGBTI people. As in many other countries, there are differences between living in a big city or a smaller place. In a larger city there are more possibilities for LGBTI to live openly according to their identity. For different LGBTI meetings & groups you can contact your regional Seta office.

As mentioned above, according to the Equality Act it is illegal to discriminate against LGBTI persons on grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Therefore everyone should be treated equally in private and public spheres regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. This means everyone should be able to feel safe in their everyday life and for example have the same possibilities in education and working life.

Social life

The Helsinki metropolitan area has most social venues, organisations and peer groups. There are also LGBTI bars & clubs, and LGBTI events are organised regularly. Also in Turku and Tampere there are some organisations and meeting points for LGBTI.

Pride events are a big part of the annual LGBTI events in Finland. In many cities the events take place once a year. At least Helsinki, Tampere, Lahti, Turku, Oulu and Rovaniemi (Arctic Pride) have their own Pride events or festivals.

Internet and mobile applications

You can find and contact people anonymously via social media and mobile applications. It is a common way to find new contacts, just be careful about what you share about yourself and where you meet people. It is good not to give too many personal details online, such as your full name or where you live. Always meet new people in public places for your own safety.