Study title

The data contain the structured parts of a reader survey conducted by the weekly supplement NYT of the daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The survey studied Finnish homosexual behaviour and attitudes towards homosexuality. Respondents' sexual behaviour and experiences were investigated with several close-ended questions: the extent of homosexual attraction or experience, main reasons for contacting persons of the same sex, age when started sex life, how often has sex and how often would like to have sex. The development of respondents' sexual identity was charted. Respondents were also asked what they enjoyed most in sexual activities, how they would define homosexuality and whether their friends, relatives, fellow workers, neighbours etc. were aware of their sexuality. They were asked whether they had experienced pressure from their environment because of their sexual identity (e.g. subjected to jokes, discrimination in the workplace). There were 1885 respondents. One third of the respondents were young people aged 20-30. One third were students and the rest represented a wide variety of occupations and employment sectors. Half of the respondents lived in the metropolitan area; the majority of other respondents also lived in cities. Background variables included sex, age, occupation, marital status and sexual orientation (bisexual, heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian).