Study title

Lifestyles and Life Circumstances of Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals 1982-1983

Dataset ID Number

FSD2798

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2798
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2798

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Haavio-Mannila, Elina (University of Helsinki. Department of Sociology)
• Grönfors, Martti (University of Helsinki. Department of General Jurisprudential Studies)
• Mustola, Kati (University of Helsinki. Department of Sociology)
• Stålström, Olli (University of Helsinki. Department of General Jurisprudential Studies)

Abstract

The study charted everyday experiences of people belonging to sexual minorities in Finland. Topics studied included the formation of sexual identity, sexual behaviour and experiences of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The respondents were first asked what the orientations of their sexual behaviour and their sexual feelings were, how important they personally regarded religion, whether they were at the moment of the survey or had previously been married, whether they had children, whether the children lived with them, whether they would like to have children, and which method of having a child they would use if they wanted children. Male respondents were also asked whether they had completed military service, and if they had not, whether they were going to do so. Further questions charted whom the respondents lived with, whether they had had intimate relations with a person of the opposite sex, whether they were in a same-sex relationship at the moment of the survey, and whether they had other intimate same-sex relations besides their relationship. One set of questions surveyed how many of their friends were gays or lesbians, and what their relationship to the members of the same sex was principally like.

Relating to intimate relationships, questions charted same-sex relationship at the time of the survey, previous same-sex relationships, management of finances, and the division of chores. The next set of questions focused on social relationships, charting the attitude of different people towards the respondents' sexuality (e.g. mother, father, sisters, neighbours), from whom the respondents kept their sexuality secret, how much of their leisure time they spent with gays and lesbians (other than partner), whether their closest friends were women or men and hetero- or homosexual, how many of all their friends were heterosexual, and how many were the same sex as them.

One set of questions surveyed the respondents' leisure time, with questions studying membership of an organisation for gays and lesbians, different events and places aimed at gays and lesbians visited by the respondents as well as alcohol use and its consequences. Relating to first same-sex experiences and sexual awareness, the respondents were asked about their first sexual interest towards members of the same sex, and first sexual contact with a member of the same sex.

The attitudes of different people and groups in different situations towards the respondents' sexual orientation were charted. Questions investigated the attitudes of people in the respondents' neighbourhoods, the attitudes of public authorities (e.g. the police, courts), of parents and relatives, of medical professionals as well as attitudes of people in public, in the working life and at school and studies. Some questions surveyed the pressure faced by the respondents to "turn" heterosexual, for instance, whether a person of the opposite sex had ever suggested coitus to them in an attempt to change their sexual orientation, and whether the respondents had ever felt they should turn heterosexual.

Finally, the respondents were asked whether they had ever moved abroad or considered doing so because of their sexual orientation, which magazines marketed at gays, lesbians and bisexuals they read, and where they had received the survey questionnaire.

The background variables included the respondent's gender, age group, mother tongue, nationality, type of municipality of residence, major region of residence, education, and economic activity and occupational status.

Keywords

discrimination; homosexuality; interpersonal relations; same-sex relationships; sexual behaviour; sexual identity; sexual orientation; social behaviour; social environment

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Minorities (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Social behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (C) available only for research including master's theses.

Data Collector

• Haavio-Mannila, Elina (University of Helsinki. Department of Sociology)
• Grönfors, Martti (University of Helsinki. Department of General Jurisprudential Studies)
• Mustola, Kati (University of Helsinki. Department of Sociology)
• Stålström, Olli (University of Helsinki. Department of General Jurisprudential Studies)
• Voluntary contact persons in Finland

Time Period Covered

1982 – 1983

Collection Dates

1982 – 1983

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Finnish- or Swedish-speaking gays, lesbians and bisexuals living in Finland (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Availability

The questionnaire was sent to the members of gay rights advocacy organisations who had paid their membership fees the previous year (940 questionnaires, 36% of all questionnaires distributed). Additionally, in order to distribute the questionnaire to persons who were not members of the organisations, a nationwide network of over a hundred contact persons was created. Many respondents also contacted the researchers to ask if the questionnaire could be sent to their friends and acquaintances. 1,313 questionnaires (50.5% of all questionnaires) were sent to persons not belonging to any organisation nor visiting the events of the organisations. The questionnaires were distributed in Finnish towns and provinces roughly proportionate to the number inhabitants. Southern Finland was somewhat overrepresented. All in all, 2,600 questionnaires were sent, out of which 1,067 were returned. Out of the returned 1,067 questionnaires, 1,051 could be used in the study. The response rate has been calculated based on the number of sent questionnaires and the number of all returned questionnaires.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

41

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The responses to open-ended questions are missing from the data, with the exception of questions q12, q13, q 14 and q86_2 whose responses have been categorised by the researchers. Further, the responses to variable q156_7 and to some of the 'Other, which?' type of questions (q2_2, q3_2, q6_2, q23_2, q23_3, q27_2, q130_2, q135_2, q147_2, q156_7_2) are missing from the data.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Haavio-Mannila, Elina (University of Helsinki) & Grönfors, Martti (University of Helsinki) & Mustola, Kati (University of Helsinki) & Stålström, Olli (University of Helsinki): Lifestyles and Life Circumstances of Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals 1982-1983 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2013-09-24). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2798

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Grönfors, Martti & Haavio-Mannila, Elina & Mustola, Kati & Stålström, Olli (1984). Esitietoja homo- ja biseksuaalisten ihmisten elämäntavasta ja syrjinnästä. Teoksessa: Rakkauden monet kasvot: homoseksuaalisesta rakkaudesta, ihmisoikeuksista ja vapautumisesta (toim. Sievers, Kai & Stålström, Olli), 132-160. Espoo: Weilin+Göös.

Related Publications

Grönfors, Martti & Haavio-Mannila, Elina & Mustola, Kati & Stålström, Olli (1984). Esitietoja homo- ja biseksuaalisten ihmisten elämäntavasta ja syrjinnästä. Teoksessa: Rakkauden monet kasvot. Homoseksuaalisesta rakkaudesta, ihmisoikeuksista ja vapautumisesta (toim. Sievers, Kai & Stålström, Olli), 132-160. Espoo: Weilin + Göös.

Recker, J., & Perry, A. (2024). Data on the Margins - Data from LGBTIQ+ Populations in European Social Science Data Archives. Data Science Journal 23(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2024-039