Queer history
2021 marked fifty years since the decriminalization or legalization of homosexuality. The history of minorities, especially sexual minorities, is often hidden from official historiography. Learn about the history of sexual minorities as part of the Finnish story through videos. The videos and tasks are suitable for middle school and high school students.
Assignment: Criminal law and equality
In a video filmed at the Prison museum of the National Museum of Finland, researcher and writer Sandra Hagman, who has a PhD in the history of homosexuality, talks about the history of criminal legislation targeting homosexuality. In Finland, same-sex fornication was a crime between 1894 and 1971.
Watch the video:
- Why does society make laws?
- Why do laws change over time?
- What does criminal law say about the values of its time?
- Can any current law seem outdated in the future?
- Why?
Assignment: Finland’s rainbow history
Why do we know so little about historical Finnish LGBTQ people? In the video, historian Riikka Taavetti, who specializes in gender and sexuality themes, discusses the importance of historical interpretations in presenting Finland’s diverse past.
Watch the video:
- Why is more known about some groups of people in history than others?
- Why has the histort of LGBTQ people often received less attention? LGBTQ is a collective term for people whose sexual orientation, gender identity or gender characteristics differ from the majority.
- What might be some problems asociated with defining people from the past using modern concepts?