Sticker activist secretly stuck masturbation sticker on girl at Suviseurat

A sticker activist secretly placed a sticker about masturbation on a girl’s back at Suviseurat, a summer event of the conservative Laestadian community, the girl told STT, according to Yle.

Parents interviewed by STT said activists had discussed sexuality-related topics with children and young people without parental permission. They were concerned that the Tarratoimikunta group had introduced subjects into children’s lives that, in their view, did not correspond to their stage of development.

Primary school-aged girls also said that an activist had secretly placed a sticker about masturbation on one girl’s back. A sticker about transgender people was placed on another girl’s back.

The stickers read: “Dear young people, masturbation is not a sin” and “God loves transgender people.” The interviewees spoke anonymously because of the sensitive nature of the subject.

Tarratoimikunta founders Essi Mutanen and Senja Myllymäki told STT that their volunteers had not approached anyone. They said the initiative had always come from children and young people, and that the subjects were explained to them in an age-appropriate way.

The founders said they suspected that the stickers may not have been placed by Tarratoimikunta volunteers. The group will investigate the matter internally.

“It is definitely wrong to touch someone else,” Myllymäki said.

Tarratoimikunta seeks to improve the position of sexual and gender minorities in the conservative Laestadian community. Suviseurat attracts thousands of people who are not members of the community each year. According to Tarratoimikunta, about 500 volunteers distributed stickers at the event.