Despite changing attitudes towards gay, lesbian, and bisexual men and women many dimensions of their lives can still be affected by a sexual minority status and related minority stress. The objective is to provide insight into how the changing social environment has shaped the lives of gay men and lesbian women in same-sex couples in Finland. The objective is to assess and understand (1) educational and earning paths, (2) family formation and dissolution, (3) mental health problems and intimate partner violence among individuals in same-sex couples, and (4) the educational achievement of children in families with same-sex parents. The project uses advanced statistical methods and record-linkage data of the total population of Finland. The societal impact of the project goes far beyond academia, given that discrimination against sexual minority groups can take various forms that need to be statistically studied and discussed.
PI: Elina Einiö & Researchers: Maria Ponkilainen & Kasper Kotisaari, University of Helsinki
Publications in MISTLIFE Project
Ponkilainen, M., Einiö, E., Pietiläinen, M., & Myrskylä, M. (2024). Educational Differences in Fertility Among Female Same-Sex Couples in Finland. Demography, 61(6), 2053–2079. https://doi.org/10.1215/00703370-11687583
Einiö, E., & Ponkilainen, M. (2025a). Divorce in same-sex and opposite-sex couples: The roles of intermarriage, religious affiliation, and income. Advances in Life Course Research, 100669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2025.100669
Einiö, E., & Ponkilainen, M. (2025b). Gendered housing consequences of divorce: An analysis of marital dyads from different-sex and female same-sex couples. Genus, 81(1), 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41118-025-00276-x
Ponkilainen, M., Einiö, E., Kühn, M., & Myrskylä, M. (2026). Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples’ Divorce Risks: The Role of Cohabitation and Childbearing. Journal of Marriage and Family, 88(2), 457–472. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.70027
Ponkilainen, M., Einiö, E., Kolk, M., Fallesen, P., Torvik, F. A., Andersen, M. L., & Myrskylä, M. (2026). Changing Landscapes of Parenthood: Childbearing Among Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples in the Nordic Countries. Population and Development Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.70068
Ponkilainen, M. (2026). Childbearing and Divorce among Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples in the Nordic Context: A Register-Based Analysis. Doctoral Dissertation. University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Sciences. https://helda.helsinki.fi/items/f1a18bc0-405c-4936-8248-87358b05c91a