The Federation of Green Youth and Students, ViNO, demands Finland to recognise the third gender. The bulletin of ViNO's general assembly says that dividing people into men and women leaves some left out altogether. All genders, they say, should be recognised in the language used in public discourse.
"A person may identify as being third gender who does not feel or does not want to define themselves as either man or woman. In Germany, Nepal, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa the third gender has already been recognised," notes the bulletin.
In its program for parliamentary election, ViNO also proposes selective and gender-neutral liability to military service.
"Equality must be advanced in all divisions of society. As a civilised country which respects equality, the time has come for Finland to recognise the diversity of genders," say chairpersons of ViNO Ozan Yanar and Saara Ilvessalo.
ILTA-SANOMAT 30 November
