"I wanted to start a broader discussion in connection with Sochi, because it’s sad that the legislation in Russia restricts the human rights of young people and others," Liukkonen told YLE. "In the future I hope that elite athletes and other people will not find homosexuality to be any kind of news."

Liukkonen, 25, admits he had difficulty growing up, saying homosexuality wasn't discussed in his community. "I tried to forget about it, but during high school I began to accept that I am made this way," he says. "Acceptance hasn’t necessarily been easy, but it hasn’t been horribly difficult either. This has been a long, slow process for me, but now I’m there.... [and] it’s a really great feeling that I can finally be myself."

Finland has established broad protections for LGBT citizens since decriminalizing homosexuality in 1971: Discrimination based on sexual orientation was outlawed in 1995, and based on gender identity a decade later. A bill to legalize marriage equality will go before the Finnish parliament early this year.