Would you like to hang out with fellow crips? Come as you are – Crip Students’ events are always open for all (for students and non-students alike), unless clearly expressed otherwise!
If you’d like us to have more events or some specific kind of event, join us in organising them! We will help and guide you in anything you need, so you don’t need any previous experience. There is also no need to worry about fluctuations in energy levels. The guiding principle in Crip Students’ activities is that we can be ourselves and participate in a way that is accessible for us, as much or as little as we want, depending on how we’re feeling at the time
Below are the contents of this page. Click the name of the event or scroll down the page to read more! You can also find links to our event information on our Linktree (linktr.ee/rampaopiskelijat).
Upcoming events
Norm break: Slow friending, 29 October 2026, 5–7 pm
Welcome to the Norm break: “Slow friending” event on Thursday, October 29th, at Snellmania (Unioninkatu 37, entrance at Yrjö-Koskisen katu 4) in room K1053, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.!
The Crip Students Organisation (Rampaopiskelijat) and the gender studies student association Vastakarva are hosting a laid-back evening where you can spend time free from social norms, relax, and enjoy the company of others. The event starts at 5:00 p.m., but you’re welcome to join later as well.
What does “Slow friending” mean to us? The idea behind the event is that you can get to know other people without the expectation of conventional small talk or icebreakers, where people usually ask, “What do you do?” or “What are you studying?” You’re welcome to ask those questions if you’d like, but we’ll focus on getting to know each other through shared activities or thought-provoking question cards, for example. You’re under no obligation to participate in any activities, you’re also welcome to just come and hang out quietly. We aim to create a space where you can get to know others in a relaxed atmosphere, free from normative assumptions about social status or productivity. At the event, you can color in coloring books, make jewelry, and enjoy the treats provided. At the start of the event, the organisers will introduce themselves, and you’re welcome to come chat with us at any point during the evening.
The venue has been tested for accessibility with an electric wheelchair, provided someone is available to assist with the venue entrance. The accessible restroom is one floor up, but you can move between floors using a spacious elevator. We will provide accessibility support throughout the event with mutual assistance.
You’ll find detailed arrival instructions with pictures, and accessibility information in a separate invitation document: Norm break invitation: arrival instructions and accessibility information (Google Docs)
Please feel free to contact us if you have any needs or requests regarding the event. You can contact us by email: hysukupuolentutkijat@gmail.com or rampaopiskelijat@proton.me. For accessibility-related and sensitive matters, use our secure REDCap form.
At the event, we’ll be following Vastakarva’s “safer space” principles, which you can find on their web page (also in PDF form): Vastakarva’s safer space principles
See you on Thursday at Normitauko
Best regards, Crip Students Organisation and Vastakarva
Past events
Disability Pride Party Helsinki, 31 May 2026, 2–6 pm
Join us in the Helsinki Disability Pride Party!
You’ll find Crip Students from 2 pm till 5 pm in Töölönlahdenpuisto, near the event stage. You’ll recognize us by our black banner with the Rampaopiskelijat text and logo. We will also be wearing visible name tags.
If it rains, we may leave before 5 pm. The event will end officially at 6 pm.
Come as you are, chat with us or just sit quietly and enjoy the performances
Detailed arrival instructions and accessibility information below!
What is Disability Pride Helsinki?
The organizer describes the event as follows:
Disability Pride celebrates the diversity of abilities, challenges stigma, and promotes visibility, rights, and inclusion. Disability Pride is not a sub-event of LGBTQIA+ Pride, but an independent event. At the same time, it is a safe space for those who belong to both the disability community and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Disability Pride Helsinki is free, open to everyone, sober and free from discrimination. The event begins with a march at 1 p.m., followed by a park festival from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. The march starts from the Töölönlahti side of the Helsinki Opera House (Helsinginkatu 58), near the stage called the Amphitheatre. After the march, the Disability Pride Party will begin at Töölönlahdenpuisto at 2 p.m. The party will feature several performances, including speeches, music, and spoken word poetry.
More information about the event, performers and the march on Disability Pride Finland’s sites:
- Instagram (@disabilitypridefinland)
- Facebook (Disability Pride Finland RY)
- LinkedIn (Disability Pride Finland RY)
Shared Google folder: Disability Pride Helsinki event information (shared Google Drive folder)
Arriving at Töölönlahdenpuisto
The small event stage Töölönlahdenpuiston tanssilava (sometimes tapahtumalava) is located in Töölönlahdenpuisto park near the central library Oodi, opposite the Finlandia Hall.
You can find the stage on Google Maps under the name “Töölönlahdenpuiston tanssilava”.
HSL doesn’t provide directions all the way to the stage, but you can search for routes nearby by entering “Karamzininranta” as the address.
Nearest stops and the distance to the stage
- Tram: National Museum (Kansallismuseo), ~350 m. For example, trams 4 and 10.
- Bus: National Museum (Kansallismuseo), ~350 m. For example, buses 456, 457 and 465.
- Subway and train: Central Railway Station, ~800 m
Drop-off traffic
Drop-off traffic can drive to the central library Oodi (map) or the Musiikkitalo, on the Kansalaistori side. 2 parking spaces for the disabled are located between Oodi and Sanomatalo on Eero Erkon katu. The nearest paid car parks are P-Eliel and Aimo Park Finlandia.
By bike
The nearest city bike station is Töölönlahdenpuisto (150 m from the stage). You can also leave your bike at Finlandia Hall or in front of the Oodi Library.
Accessibility of the party
The area around the stage is flat and accessible with mobility aids via a leveled sandy path and a paved road.
There is a fixed wooden seating around the stage. We will also bring a couple of picnic blankets. All kinds of personal mobility aids, seats, camping chairs, and blankets are warmly welcome. You are also free to move around and stretch during the event.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the organizers if you have any specific accessibility needs or questions
- Social media: @disabilitypridefinland (Instagram)
- Email: disabilitypridefinland@gmail.com
Bathrooms
The nearest accessible and unisex restrooms are located at the Central Library Oodi (Töölönlahdenkatu 4). Oodi is about 250 m away.
All floors of Oodi are accessible with mobility aids, and accessible restrooms are located on the 2nd and the 3rd floor. You can read more about Oodi’s accessibility on the library’s website: Accessibility at Oodi (oodihelsinki.fi)
The nearest stores
No food will be served at the event, so don’t forget to bring your own water bottle and snacks. Please also remember that the event is sober!
- Kuparitalo Alepa (Töölönkatu 4), ~450 m
- K-Supermarket Postitalo (Elielinaukio 2F), ~550 m
You can also get drinking water from Oodi.
Sensory environment
The event is open to everyone. It will be held outdoors in a park, and there will likely be a large crowd.
The stage program will feature many performances, including speeches, spoken word, and music that use a PA system. There may be loud noises at the event, especially near the stage.
Listen to yourself and bring along assistive devices, earplugs, headphones, sunglasses, etc. that are helpful for you.
It’s also perfectly fine to take a break! You can leave and come back to the event whenever you feel like it.
Language
The event is hosted both in English and Finnish. Some of the performances are in English and some are in Finnish. There is a sign language interpreter from 2 to 3.30 pm who will interpret the speeches and poetry performances into Finnish sign language. There is unfortunately no induction loop. The performances can be loud but clapping will be avoided. Interpreters and communication aids are warmly welcome.
At the Crip Students’ table, we try to assist with interpreting between Finnish and English as needed.
See you on Sunday!
Crip reading circle every month (spring 2026)
Welcome to the reading circle!
The meeting times and places – spring 2026:
- Wed 18 February: Kaisa Library, room 6005, 6th floor
- Thu 19 March: Kaisa Library, room 5005, 5th floor
- Wed 22 April: Kaisa Library, room 5005, 5th floor
- Thu 21 May: Kaisa Library, room 5005, 5th floor
The purpose of the crip reading circle is to increase the participants’ understanding of crip theory, which is based on feminist and queer theory and disability activism, and related questions in a relaxed, reflective and communal atmosphere. The goal is joint learning and challenging society’s ableist thought patterns and disability norms. Like our events in general, the reading circle is also open to everyone. We won’t ask you to explain your identities or background (e.g. diagnoses). No previous knowledge or reading is necessary, our goal is joint learning, regardless of background. You don’t have to be a university student, anyone interested in the subject is welcome to the reading circle. The reading changes each time so you can join us when you can.
The schedule is the same every time:
- 5.30–6.00 pm The first half an hour of the event is reserved for arriving, hanging out and making accessibility arrangements.
- 6.00–7.30 pm The reading circle itself. We will have at least one break in the middle. The library closes at 8.00 pm but the elevator straight from the library to the metro tunnel is not available for use after 7.45 pm, so it’s good to keep that in mind if you wish to use it.
We do not accept any form of bullying or discrimination. Please take into account diversity and avoid making assumptions about other people. We are all responsible for creating a safe discussion environment. Let’s respect the opinions of others and give everyone space to share their thoughts as little or as much as they want.
Language of the event will be Finnish and/or English depending on participants. The event won’t be interpreted but we try to help with translations at least between Finnish and English so that everyone could communicate in the way that is comfortable to them. Interpreters and communication aids are always welcome to our events.
Arriving and accessibility of the Kaisa library
We will meet every month at Kaisa, the main library of the University of Helsinki (Fabianinkatu 30, Helsinki). The Kaisa house is mainly physically accessible. The meeting rooms are on the Vuorikatu/Kaisaniemenkatu side of the library, to your right when exiting the elevators. There are info signs with the floor plan on each floor next to the elevators. You can move between floors with a spacious elevator. Kaisa-talo is easily accessible both from the main entrance on Fabianinkatu and by elevator from the metro tunnel and Kaisaniemenkatu. You can get to the upper floors by an elevator or by the stairs from the street level floor, which is the 3rd floor of Kaisa. So if you arrive by an elevator from the metro tunnel or Kaisaniemenkatu, you’ll have to change to another elevator on this 3rd floor. There is an accessible toilet on each floor.
You can read more about the accessibility of the Kaisa Library on their website: Accessibility of the main library Kaisa House
You can find the floor map of each floor in Kaisa House floor plans 2025 (PDF).
We encourage everyone to listen to themselves and do exactly what they need. The space can fit 10 people and it is reserved for our use only, so the sound world should be calm. There is natural light from the windows and fluorescent lamps that can be turned off. The first half an hour of the event from 5.30 till 6 pm is reserved for making accessibility arrangements.
If you have certain accessibility needs, please contact us and we can think of a solution together.
Readings for spring 2026
Here are the readings for this spring! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have problems finding a specific text. You can contact us via Instagram direct message @rampaopiskelijat or by email rampaopiskelijat@proton.me.
- Wed 18 February – Johanna Hedva (2020): Sick Woman Theory (8 pages, in English). Hedva’s essay online
- Thu 19 March – Eli Clare (2001): Stolen Bodies, Reclaimed Bodies: Disability and Queerness (8 pages, in English). Students of the University of Helsinki can download the article as a PDF by signing in to Helka (Clare’s article, helka.helsinki.fi) with their university account. Clare’s article can also be found online. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any problems finding the text.
- Wed 22 April – Maija Koivisto (2025): The Legacy of Eugenics: The Struggle for Self-Determination and Its Impact on the Lives of Deaf People and the Sign Language Community in Finland. We’ll read chapters 2 and 3 of Koivisto’s thesis (10 + 10 pages, in English). Maija Koivisto will open the discussion with a short introduction to the text (in English and Finnish sign language). Koivisto’s thesis in the Helda repository
- Thu 21 May – Riikka Leinonen and Sofia Tawast (2024): Suuri valhe vammaisuudesta (“The big lie about disability”). We’ll read chapter 10, Muutos ja Utopia (“Change and utopia”; 34 pages, the text is unfortunately only available in Finnish). The book can be found in many libraries and audiobook apps. It is also available as a free audiobook and e-book from Celia, the accessible library (celia.fi). Students of the University of Helsinki can also borrow the e-book from Helka.