Communist Youth of Finland wishes a great and fighting Pride week and recalls the importance of including class analysis into activism for the implementation of the rights of sexual and gender minorities. Capitalism oppresses minorities and seeks to own the Pride movement to prop up the market economy without any real interest in pursuing the movement’s goals.
The discrimination that people experience is structural in many ways. Internalized prejudices, stereotypes, and an inability to empathize have taken root deeper in society every time when discrimination has been treated with indifference or even permissiveness and has not been addressed either by other people or by society's actors. Such structural discrimination must be eradicated, inter alia, through education and via stronger action against hate speech. Also, all society's institutions that perpetrate any form of discrimination, such as the police, must launch internal investigations to eliminate discriminatory attitudes and ways of working that affect work.
When the interests of the market and the capitalist class lead in politics, minorities' rights and human rights generally remain secondary to a constant ‘waiting queue’.
Capitalism as a system also creates and maintains discriminatory structures. Workers are under the oppression of the capitalist class and have to add value and profit to the capitalist class. Under the 'double oppression' are, among others, people belonging to sexual and gender minorities, who also have to suffer the consequences of market-driven policies. When the interests of the market and the capitalist class lead in politics, minorities' rights and human rights generally remain secondary to a constant ‘waiting queue’. One example is the reform of Finland's current trans law, which contains blatant shortcomings and human right violations, which has been delayed by politicians for far too long.
Speeches from private business and companies about promoting equality should always be viewed critically and inquisitively, as currently the work of many companies towards sexual and gender minorities mainly means changing the company logo to rainbow colors for Pride Week on social media channels. In everyday reality, many companies lay off and fire workers at a time when owners, management and investors are thriving despite the interest rate crisis. Criticism should also be directed at many actors other than the private business. The rainbow-keychains of Kela's employees are not enough as long as there is a huge poverty in Finland and the level of basic security is insufficient.
The movement for equality and real equality needs a critique of capitalism on its agenda.
Critical attitudes towards capitalism are emerging among activists around the world, and the repressive structures of society maintained by the power of money are becoming increasingly apparent to many. The movement for equality and real equality needs a critique of capitalism on its agenda so that work can move more strongly towards the elimination of discrimination and exploitation. System change and equality in practice for people is possible - and it is necessary!
Communist Youth of Finland and HLBTQIA+ working group of Communist Party of Finland, Red Rainbow, organize a Zoom debate 'Marshan tiiliskivi' on Tuesday 29th June. Debate is a part of the Helsinki Pride Week's official program.