Although I have published several posts about racism in Finland, two of them published in 2008 and 2014 are still valid. After living over 40 years in Finland and having a Finnish mother, racism is a problem that not only hinders the country from finding its potential but retards and stunts careers.
Some of us asked in the early 1980s, when we were newcomers, if there was racism in Finland and who its victims were. We usually concluded that the darker the skin, the more racism you’d suffer in Finland.
That is true today, and there are many studies to prove it.
Matters have moved slowly in Finland, and the Finnish media is giving more voices to migrants and minorities on this shameful topic.
While dailies like Helsingin Sanomat write stories about this social ill in Finland, they are still too few. Despite some improvement, I wonder why they write so few editorials on why discrimination continues to be a big problem in the labor market.
Let’s get one matter straight. As long as racism and discrimination have the upper hand in Finland, the whole system loses credibility. What are you going to do if you won’t change? Are you going to demand that people respect you?
It’s not going to work.
Here is the scary truth: Not only is racism more prevalent among groups that have dark skin, but it will also get worse, and everyone who is seen as an outsider will feel that toxic force. The more migrants and minorities we have, the more racism you will see in Finland.
The more inaction to combat racism, the more racism will grow.
One of the many roots of Finland’s racism problem is that it is linked to Russia. The war in Ukraine and fear of our ole foe growing will fuel greater xenophobia in our country.
There are many of us demanding action by the authorities and understanding that nothing will change if we allow matters to continue as they do.
Despite the obstacles, we must never give up.