Poland's LGBT+ Moves Outta Country Amid Rising Homophobia

[RAMROD 117,023]

When a right-wing populist party won the right to govern Poland five years ago, Piotr Grabarczyk feared “bad things” might happen to gay men like him and other LGBTQ people. He sometimes considered leaving the country, but waited.

Friends and a job bound Grabarczyk to Warsaw, the relatively liberal capital. He trusted that Poland’s membership in the European Union would protect his community. Yet his dwindling faith finally dried up altogether as President Andrzej Duda campaigned for reelection on an anti-LGBTQ platform — and won last month. 

Duda, who repeatedly described the LGBTQ rights movement as a dangerous “ideology,” was sworn in for his second term Thursday. Grabarczyk, 31, is now gone, along with other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Poles who have emigrated to escape what they consider homophobia promoted by the highest levels of government.

While gays and lesbians have never had the legal right to marry or to form civil unions in Poland, as is permitted in much of Europe, many felt confident until not long ago that Polish society was becoming more accepting and that those rights would one day come.

They have instead faced a furious backlash from the Roman Catholic Church and the government under the ruling Law and Justice party. Duda proposed a constitutional amendment to prevent same-sex couples from adopting children. Last year, the Catholic archbishop of Krakow warned of a “rainbow plague,” and Law and Justice has described LGBTQ rights as a threat to families and Poland’s Catholic identity.

Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and other European Union countries are where LGBT emigres are envisioning their futures. They follow generations of Poles who have fled political repression at home, including during the communist era.

Three activists protesting homophobia were detained this week and charged with the crimes of insulting monuments or offending religious feeling for hanging rainbow flags on statues in Warsaw, including one of Jesus. If convicted, they could face prison.

There is no law, however, making anti-LGBT hate speech a crime.

 

Full article at Source:

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-08-06/lgbt-people-poland-choosing-to-leave

 

[xoxo Craig 55,649]

I'd do the same if I were there. Hope they are all okay and do the best thing to ensure their safety 

[MANiCURE 6 10,306]

As they should... This is sad but Poland became an unsafe place for them. 

What's up with the other countries ?? Poland is part of the EU ! Do something against them.

[Karen Smith 10,026]

Poland is constantly going backwards. I'm just waiting for me to finish my studies and get the f*ck out of here. 

[Lampost 760]

It is scary. I've just come back from a visit there and I met up with some gay friends who told me about how 'down low' they've had to be recently after suffering abuse.