Baby, you sing to me like the petals around you.

1903 Aino Malmberg published the first known lesbian short story in Finland, named "ystävyyttä" ("friendship").

1963 Christer Kihlman publishes a break trough novel Den blå modern ("blue mother"). One of the book's themes is homosexuality, and the book ended up winning the national literary price.

1966 Ilkka Taipale publishes a book "Sukupuoleton Suomi" ("genderless Finland"). In it a lawyer Herbert Gumpler criticizes the law that criminalized gay acts, because it left gay people vulnerable to extortion and violence.

1968 Keskusteluseura Psyke becomes the first registered queer association. It later starts to publish a magazine "96" for queer people.

These literary works and formal associations might seem boring compared to the "first pride was a riot" we hear from America. But the truth is that these published materials slowly moved people's opinions, and in 1971 "gay acts" were no longer a crime.

Also reminder that our nowadays well known and beloved gay icon Touko Laaksonen, "Tom of Finland" started his career in 1956 by publishing his art with that pen name in a magazine based in USA, because that stuff was still illegal in Finland, and even publishing with his real name could have got him into trouble before the law changed. But damn it he found a way to get them published anyway.

“Are you okay? Come here…”

“No, no, stay down. I’ll handle it.”

“Where were you? I was worried sick.”

“I made you some soup and tea…”

“Ssh… It’s okay…”

“You’ll freeze to death in that. Come, I have a change of clothes for you.”

“You look pale. When’s the last time you ate?”

“The ground doesn’t look very comfortable. Come on, put your head in my lap.”

“You’re freezing. Take my jacket.”

“Stay down, you idiot. You’re done for the day.”

“I got you.”

“Come on, let’s get you in bed.”

“What happened to you? You’re dripping! Did you not dress for the rain?”

“I got you flowers to aid in your recovery.”

“You look good like this. All careless and comfy…”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

The three kapybaras!

(This amazingly cute artwork reminded me of the Karalåtin video)