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Shepherding Desire

Sexual Health Promotion in Finland from the 1940s to the 1990s

University of Helsinki, Finland

Katja Yesilova

University of Helsinki, Finland

In this article, sexual policy in Finland is analysed through two historical cases: first, contraception guidance and medical-psychological marital counselling at the Family Federation of Finland’s (Väestöliitto) dispensaries from the late 1940s to the early 1960s, and, second, comprehensive sex education for adolescents from the 1970s to the 1990s. The study focuses on two modes of sexual government, namely the pastoral mode, which subjects individuals to expertise on sexuality, and self-government based on self-inspection. It is emphasized that in Finland sexuality has been problematized and governed in the context of medicine and health care. The most noticeable dissimilarity between the two settings is that in the former the locus of problematization of the sexual self is sexual adjustment in the nuclear family and marriage, while in the latter sexuality is defined in an individualistic manner, and the core question concerns personal sexual liberation. However, in both settings an understanding of sexuality as one’s own initially developed in the context of problems of reproductive health and contraception. In addition, women and female sexuality remained the focus of sexual government throughout the period under study.

Key Words: contraception • family policy • Finland • health education • marriage counselling • sexual politics

Acta Sociologica, Vol. 49, No. 3, 257-272 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0001699306067708


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