Who does Pride belong to? – Visiting lectures and discussion on 29 October
You are warmly invited to Pride-themed visiting lectures by Daniel Conway (University of Westminster) and Francesca Romana Ammaturo (London Metropolitan University) on Thursday 29 October at 14:00-16:00 in Tiedekulma Fönster, followed by a discussion over snacks and drinks with intersectional LGBTIQ+ activists at 16:30-18:00 in Snellmania!
During the 21st century, Pride has become a global symbol of LGBTIQ+ visibility. In many capitals across Europe and beyond, Pride events have developed into combinations of flamboyant parties, demonstrations, and corporate marketing campaigns. Despite these developments, a vast array of research has highlighted multiple contradictions in the recent evolution of Pride. On one hand, Pride events are shaped by the rise of anti-gender movements, which restrict freedom of assembly. On the other hand, as Pride has become mainstream, grassroots intersectional activists have increasingly organized critical alternative events.
The visiting lectures will explore the politics of Pride through recent books by two scholars whose work has examined many of the current controversies surrounding Pride events:
- Reader Daniel Conway (University of Westminster) studies LGBTIQ+ rights and activism at the intersection of queer theory, feminist IR and political sociology. His recent book The Queer Politics of Pride: Global LGBTQ+ Activism and Homocapitalism (2025, Bloomsbury Publishing) critically examines the emergence of a global LGBTIQ+ elite, rainbow diplomacy, corporate partnerships, and the entanglement of capitalism and gentrification with Pride practices.
- Senior Lecturer Francesca Romana Ammaturo (London Metropolitan University) researches the limits of liberal sexual citizenship in Europe and conflicts within queer and trans activism. Her book The Politics of Pride Events: Global and Local Challenges (2025, Bristol University Press) analyzes critiques of Pride events from perspectives such as decoloniality, disability inclusion and queer ecocriticism.
The lectures will be followed by a discussion over snacks and drinks with intersectional LGBTIQ+ activists, where we will critically reflect on the meaning of Pride in contemporary Finnish society. Key questions include:
- Do corporations have a place in Pride, or does this lead to “pinkwashing”?
- Are Pride events accessible for intersectional minorities, or are some groups excluded due to inadequate planning and discrimination within communities?
- Can Pride respond to the ecological or poly-crisis, or does it deepen existing inequalities?
Time and place: Thursday 29 October at 14:00-16:00 in Tiedekulma Fönster, Yliopistonkatu 4 (visiting lectures) and 16:30-18:00 in Snellmania, Unioninkatu 37 (discussion).
Accessibility: Both venues are accessible. More accessibility information about Tiedekulma can be found here and about Snellmania here.
Registration: Please register using this form by Thursday 22 October.
Contact person: Matti Pihlajamaa, doctoral researcher, Centre for European Studies / Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, email: matti.e.pihlajamaa@helsinki.fi.
Acknowledgements: The event is organized with the support of the Doctoral Programme in the Humanities (HUM-DP).