On our way to Europe - Finnish women's magazines and discourse on women, nation and power

This article explores the issue of women's co-authorship of the national discourse in Finland through an analysis of a discussion on the EU in Finnish women's magazines in 1994, the year before Finland joined. Ln these magazines, the most prevalent image of woman was the 'homemaker', created essentially by women. In articles discussing Finnish women's views on the EU, this image was, however, overshadowed by the 'male' imagery of the 'Maiden of Finland'. When women's position and gender equality were discussed, the women's magazines depicted 'Finnish women' as far more advanced than 'women from the EU countries', and painted a rather grim picture of women's lives in the EU. The same authority was not present, however, when 'Finnish women' were placed in relation to 'Finnish men'. Overall, women remained inside the (male) national narrative.