Programme

Nordic Network for LGBTQ+ Research on Health and Living Conditions Conference

8–9 October 2026, Tampere University

The conference will be held at the Linna building of the Tampere University City Centre campus. Here you can find a map of the campus. Linna is the building marked with number 4. You can reach it either through Pinninkatu or through Kalevantie on the other side. Most of the sessions will take place at ground floor (-1 floor) of the Linna building. The main entrance by Pinninkatu leads directly to the conference venue. If you are arriving from Kalevantie, you need to go down the stairs to reach the venue.

Programme (the programme is subject to change until 15 June)

Thursday 8 October

• 10:00–12:00 Network meeting (Linna K113)
• 12:00–13:00 Lunch
• 13:00–14:00 Opening words and Keynote: Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (Väinö Linna)
• 14:00–14:15 Break and coffee
• 14:15–15:45 Parallel sessions

1. 1. 1. LGBTQ+ health and life course perspectives (Linna K113)
      2. Gender affirming care and recognition (Linna K103)
      3. Queering professional practices and spaces (Linna 5026 – on the 5th floor)

• 15:45–16:00 Break
• 16:00–17:00 Panel discussion (Väinö Linna)
• Dinner 18:30 (at the participants’ own expense)

Friday 9 October

• 9:30–11:00 Parallel sessions

1. 1. 1. Queer youth, health and social surroundings (Linna K103)
      2. Minority stress and heteronormativity (Linna K113)
      3. Power, knowledge & ethics (Linna K108)

• 11:00–11:15 Break
• 11:15–12:15 Keynote: Michael Barron “Queer Optimism in Hard Times: Memory, Power and the Future of Community-Led Change” (Väinö Linna)
• 12:15–13:15 Joint lunch
• 13:15–14:45 Parallel sessions

1. 1. 1. Beyond institutional practices and understandings (Linna K113)
      2. Hoping and waiting for a future (Linna K108)

• 14:45–15:00 Break
• 15:00–17:00 Nordic Trans Studies Network meeting (Linna 5026)

Programme for Sessions

Thursday 14:15–15:45

1. LGBTQ+ health and life course perspectives

Chair: (TBA)

• Elina Einiö (University of Helsinki, Helsinki Institute for Demography and Population Health): Divorce and Depressive Symptoms: A Study of Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples
• Anna Siverskog (Uppsala universitet) & Max Kleijberg (Mälardalens universitet): Strategies for wellbeing in later life among older LGBTQ people in Sweden
• Tyler John Perry (University of Gothenburg), Richard Bränström (Karolinska Institute), Max Kleijberg (Mälardalen University) & Anna Siverskog (Södertörn University): Social connectedness, involuntary loneliness, and mental health among older sexual and gender minority adults in Sweden: A cross-sectional community-based survey
• Helga Eggebø (Nordlandsforskning): Sexual orientation, gender identity and living conditions in Norway: preliminary findings from a national survey

2. Gender affirming care and recognition

Chair: (TBA)

• Samuel Salovaara (University of Lapland), Emilia Brusila (University of Lapland), Ida Loponen (University of Lapland), Valtteri Vähä-Savo (Tampere University), Ilo Söderström (Tampere University): Access to Gender-Affirming Care in Finland in 2003–2021
• Ylva Moberg (The Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI)), Ian Burn (University of Liverpool), Emma von Essen (Uppsala University) & J. Lucas Tilley (Uppsala University): Labor market and health trajectories before and after initiating gender-affirming care
• Matti Pihlajamaa (Centre for European Studies, University of Helsinki): Protecting or Politicizing Trans Children’s Rights? Epistemic Struggles in the 2023 LGR Reform Preparation in the Finnish Parliament
• Unni Leino (Tampere University): Framing in trans healthcare

3. Queering professional practices and spaces

Chair: (TBA)

• Isak Løberg Jacobsen (Norwegian University of Science & Technology): Queering the “women’s clinic” – cis-space and disciplining of transmasculine reproduction
• Ilo Söderström (Tampere University), Kris Clarke (University of Helsinki), Joa Hiitola (Tampere University), Minna Laiti (University of Helsinki), Malin Lindroth (Oslo Metropolitan University), Siri Lindqvist (University of Gothenburg) & Heikki Tikkanen (University of Gothenburg): AFFIRM-ED – New online learning material for social and healthcare students and professionals
• Kiin Catrine Andersson (Malmö University), Malin Lindroth (Oslo Metropolitan University) & Charlotta Carlström (Malmö University):“I’m proud to wear this crown” – child welfare workers’ reflections on mitigating known risks for young LGBTQ+ people in state care
• Ilo Söderström (Tampere University) & Mimosa Puumalainen (University of Lapland): From queer blindfolding towards queer recognition in social work with queer refugees

Friday 9:30–11:00

1. Queer youth, health and social surroundings

Chair: (TBA)

• Hanna Seppänen (Tampere University), Jari Kylmä (Tampere University), Minna Törnävä (Tampere University of Applied Sciences) & Minna Laiti (Helsinki University): LGBTQ+ youth Sexual Counseling in healthcare – Development of Theoretical Model
• Sofia Karoliina Kemppinen (University of Helsinki) & Elina Einiö (University of Helsinki): Mental health of sexual minority girls: the role of social support
• Sari Hälinen (Gender Diversity & Intersex Centre of Expertise/SETA): Experiences and Support Needs of Families with Trans Children: Perspectives of Parents and Siblings
• Amanda Klysing (Lund university), Benjamin Claréus (Kristianstad university), Matilda Wurm (Örebro university), Anna Malmquist (Linköping university), Tove Lundberg (Lund university): Workplace incivility as modern discrimination: a longitudinal test of the selective incivility theory among Swedish LGBTQ employees

2. Minority stress and heteronormativity

Chair: (TBA)

• Elina Partanen, Ari Haaranen & Päivi Kankkunen (University of Eastern Finland): Minority Stress Experiences of Sexual and Gender Minority Adults in Finnish Healthcare: A Qualitative Interview Study
• Kisse Ruuska & Jari Kylmä (Tampere University): Resilience factors mitigating effects of gender minority stress in transgender and gender diverse youth
• Elina Partanen (University of Eastern Finland), Ari Haaranen (University of Eastern Finland), Minna Laiti (University of Helsinki) & Päivi Kankkunen (University of Eastern Finland): Causes of Minority Stress in LGB and TGNC Individuals: An Integrative Review
• Norman Anderssen (University of Bergen): Heteronormativity in Norway – how strong and bad is it?

3. Power, knowledge & ethics

Chair: (TBA)

• David R. Banos (University of Oslo), Anine Hartmann, Frende Lorentzen et al. (Norwegian Patient Organization for Gender Incongruence), Monica Patrascu (University of Bergen), et al. (this work is a collaboration between several organizations, academics and public departments): The Research Ethics Case at Oslo University Hospital Concerning Transgender People
• Kristopher Salvesen (Independent Researcher) & David R. Banos (University of Oslo): Referral Trends in Gender-Affirming Care: A Contextual Analysis of Norwegian and Finnish Data
• Jukka Lehtonen (University of Helsinki): Global view on public data gathering on LGBTIQ+ health and welfare
• Kaarna Tuomenvirta (University of Helsinki): Research Poetry in Conveying Trans People’s Experiences at Finnish GICs

Friday 13:15–14:45

1. Beyond institutional practices and understandings

Chair: (TBA)

• Michael Nebeling Petersen (University of Copenhagen) & Guodong Chen (University of Copenhagen): Tender Translation Infrastructure. Theorising the Mid-Space Between Queer Peer-Support and Institutional Care
• Maarit Huuska, Elina Sorsa, Miska Salakka, Mio Kivelä, Alex Karjalainen, Enni Happonen & Jaana Pirskanen (Gender Diversity & Intersex Centre of Expertise /SETA): Healing yourself through your inner and social resources: tips, practices, and perspectives
• Sezen Demirhan (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) & Burcu Gümüş (Aarhus University): ”The form will reach back and ungender me:” LGBTQ+ recognition in Denmark’s reformed organ donation system
• Cecilia Frascaroli (Newcastle University): Beyond Biological Determinism: Intersex Women, Embodiment, and the Deconstruction of Womanhood

2. Hoping and waiting for a future

Chair: (TBA)

• Santtu Anckar (Åbo Akademi University): Narrating Waiting: Constructed Temporalities of Gender Identity Assessment
• Emma Eleonorasdotter (Åbo Akademi), Matilda Svensson (Malmö University) & Pål Brunnström (Malmö University): The Hope of Queer and Feminist Spaces: Hope as Methodology Across Nordic Borders
• Lena Sotevik (Stockholm University): Imagining a queer future? Dilemmas in research exploring young people’s visions of the future
• Jamie Lee (University of Helsinki): How to Build a House

Friday 15:00-17:00

• Nordic Trans Studies Network meeting

Images by Elisa Vettenranta