Touko Valio Laaksonen, known by the pseudonym Tom of Finland, was a Finnish artist who made stylized highly masculinized homoerotic art, and influenced late 20th-century gay culture. He has been called the "most influential creator of gay pornographic images" by cultural historian Joseph W. Slade. Over the course of four decades, he produced some 3,500 illustrations, mostly featuring men with exaggerated primary and secondary sex traits, wearing tight or partially removed clothing.
Valkeakoski is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located 35 kilometres (22 mi) south of Tampere, 45 km (28 mi) north of Hämeenlinna and 150 km (93 mi) north of Helsinki in the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality has a population of 20,701 (31 December 2023) and covers an area of 372.03 square kilometres (143.64 sq mi) of which 100.06 km2 (38.63 sq mi) is water. The population density is 76.09 inhabitants per square kilometre (197.1/sq mi).
Turun Palloseura, commonly known as TPS, is a professional football club based in Turku, Finland. During the 2024 season, the men's first team of the club competes in new Ykkösliiga, the second highest tier of men's football, and the women's representative team in the Kansallinen Liiga, the highest level of women's football in Finland. Nicknamed "Tepsi", the club was founded in 1922.
The Finland men's national basketball team represents Finland in international basketball competition. The national team is governed by Basketball Finland.
Antti Akseli Laaksonen is a Finnish former professional ice hockey left winger who last played for the Lukko of the SM-Liiga. Antti had a seven-year NHL career, mostly as a third line wing and penalty killer for the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche.
Ville Taulo is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Emma Kristiina Laaksonen Terho is a Finnish ice hockey executive, retired defenceman and the current Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission. She previously served as general manager of Kiekko-Espoo Naiset in the Naisten Liiga. At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano she became the youngest Winter Olympian to medal for Finland, winning a bronze medal at the age of 16 years 54 days.
Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho, commonly referred to as SJK, also internationally SJK Seinäjoki, is a Finnish professional football club from the city of Seinäjoki. The club plays in the Veikkausliiga, the highest tier of the Finnish league system. Their home ground is OmaSP Stadion, which is located near the city center and next to SJK's training facility Wallsport. SJK was formed in 2007 after the merger of TP-Seinäjoki and Sepsi-78.
Valtter Laaksonen is a Finnish former footballer who last played for Finnish Veikkausliiga club VPS.
Olavi Laaksonen was a Finnish footballer who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Henri Joona Julius Laaksonen is a Swiss professional tennis player. His highest singles ranking is world No. 84, which he achieved on 14 February 2022, and his highest doubles ranking is world No. 191, achieved on 24 December 2018.
Laaksonen is a Finnish surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Ninni Charlotta Laaksonen is a Finnish model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Finland 2006 and represented her country at Miss Universe 2006. She presently runs a clothing and beauty products company called Ninnin Lifestyle & Living.
Oskari Laaksonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing with Luleå HF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round, 89th overall, of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Saku Laaksonen is a retired Finnish football midfielder. He played 12 seasons in highest tier of Finnish football.
The Koripallon I-divisioona is the second tier professional basketball league in Finland. The teams play playoffs for promotion to the Korisliiga.
The Emma Laaksonen Award is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association to the fair play player of the year of the Naisten Liiga, called the Naisten SM-sarja until 2017. The award recognizes a player who best contributes to the scoring of their team while "playing fair," that is to say, while incurring very few penalties. Winners typically exceed one point per game and are issued fewer than ten penalty minutes (PIM) over a full season. It is named after defenceman Emma Terho, former captain of the Finnish women's national ice hockey team and general manager of Kiekko-Espoo Naiset. Despite being named after a defenceman, it has only ever been awarded to forwards.
Kake is a fictional character created by Tom of Finland, the pseudonym of Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen. A gay leatherman distinguished by his hypermasculine physical characteristics and his frequent sexual encounters, Kake appears as the title character of a 26-issue erotic comic book series published by Laaksonen from 1968 to 1986.
Sini Emilia Laaksonen is a Finnish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Länk Vilaverdense.
Matias Paavola is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a right back for Ykkösliiga club KTP.
