60°10.288′, 024°56.953′ Behind rain chute
The sexuality of people with disabilities is still a strong taboo. As a member of two minorities it may be difficult to find a way to be heard. More accessible spaces are needed to enable people’s participation in their own communities. In the 1990s the Internet opened new possibilities for LGBTIQ people. Information specialist at the Helsinki University, Eva Isaksson, a pioneer in accessibility and hearing impaired herself, established the Sapfo emailing list in 1993, which enables lesbian women all around Finland to keep in contact. Today activities for LGBTIQ people with disabilities are organized by HeSeta’s Kahden Vähemmistön Väkeä and Viittova sateenkaari groups and Sateenkaari Seitti (Rainbow Web) of the Seitti youth cooperation.
Information on the accessibility of a space or event is often a precondition for disabled people to participate in LGBTIQ culture. Of the gay bars in Helsinki only DTM mentions at its website that the club is accessible. You will find a list describing the accessibility of Helsinki’s gay bars here.