Robert Wegrzyn, the Polish lawmaker, insists he was just trying to be funny when, responding to a reporter’s questions about gay unions during a live interview, he said, “We can forget about gay men [having the right to mary], but I would gladly watch lesbians.” That got The Gays and The Women upset. Wegrzyn, who is married (to a woman) and has two children, now says he is “sorry if this joke insulted anybody because it really could have sounded sexist. That was not my intention. My views on relationships between two people are unchanging and conservative but this does not mean I am a homophobe or discriminate against anybody. I oppose discrimination against anybody on grounds of sexual orientation.” He was wristslapped with a £400 fine and formal reprimand. Is Wegrzyn a schmuck for thinking he can “oppose discrimination” while discriminating against gay marriage? Sure. Is he a schmuck for thinking elected officials like he should be making jokes about sexuality? Yep. Do my straight male friends make similar lighthearted jokes about the enjoyment they receive watching two women get intimate? Yes — and it’s perfectly okay to LOL at it. Because there’s a difference between endorsing discrimination (which Wegrzyn does) and chuckling about the nuances of sexuality.
one liners
Polish Lawmaker Robert Wegrzyn Won’t Joke Again About Being Hot For Lesbians
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Jeff K.
Poland: the Alabama of Europe.
Makes you wonder why two Slavic countries like Czechia and Poland, both with similar experiences with communism, could turn out so differently once the Iron Curtain fell. The Czechs are the most godless people in Europe while Poland is the last European stalwart of “traditional Catholic values.” It boggles the mind.
Simon
Before few stereotypes occurs here – I’m Polish so I should explain few things now – it’s very odd to call Poland a stalwart of catholic values – it only fair if you’re writing about 50+ and older people. Most of young people doesn’t give a shit about church, there’s also many atheist nowadays – because they see greedy old perverts as their priests and are sick of it. Even if we want to talk about it openly – I just need to say it loudly – Poland hasn’t any problem with Muslims minority (like France or Germany). It’s not about lack of tolerance – it’s more like about culture equality – if you want something from us, you need give something back.
Now about gay people – there’s no such homophobia here like you used to think or your media are showing. In major Polish cities it’s safe to be gay. There’s also countryside, but it’s not so hard to travel to city to get laid 😉
Robert W?grzyn shouldn’t be punished for these statement – it was a stupid joke. He said few words more than he should, from context of talk I saw in TV I caught that he treated it like silly joking about current situation in Poland. Of course reporter used it to get easy prey. Nothing bad and shameful did Robert in my opinion. But it was, as always, overreacted in media, because there’s few months left for elections campaign to Polish Parliament.
Simon
ps. sorry for my mistakes i English, but in my defense it’s 2am here and I’m also too lazy to find a dictionary, I also hope that you’ve high IQ mark and it won’t be any problem to you 😉
Simon
Max, he was joking, it wasn’t serious conversation at all, but as in many situations here reporters are looking for easy pray. This guy wasn’t serious at all. Here’s that part http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-qYrWDqMsY
FYI Poland is not Eastern Europe country – it’s Central Europe (like Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Czech Republic). Moreover it’s not extremely homophobic at all. It’s just few older vatican guys and older grandmas that are yelling about sodomy and other bad behavior of homosexuals. Rest of people are neutral or gay-friendly. There’s also bunch of brainless people, but I’m sure that in every country is the same group of narrow-minded people. Poland is no exception. At least people in my age are very tolerant and grownup. So please don’t spread stereotypes 😉
jason
Unfortunately, this guy’s double standard is common in America too, especially amongst liberal males. It’s the product of porn propaganda. It derives from the fact that so-called straight porn classifies female homosexuality as straight, thus enabling it to be included shamelessly in all straight porn movies.
Liberal straight guys are perverted sleazeballs with a homophobic double standard. This is one reason why I have abandoned liberalism. A lot of my gay friends are following me, by the way.
In effect, we’ve had 50 years of the sexual revolution and all we (as in gay and bi men) got was a phony acceptance based on segregation. The aim of segregation is to make us smaller. Don’t let the liberal bastards get away with it.
Meanwhile, it should be said that the women who go lesbian to accommodate a sleazy straight guy are amongst the vilest of the species. We don’t want you in our community you sleazy whores.
Simon
Max so you know more than I about Poland? I don’t think so. First of all – the president you are writing about is dead for almost a year (Smolensk plane crash – 10th April 2010).
2ndly – Poland is in Central Europe and is one of bigger UE nation. We’re independent country, also we fought with nazis and communists in WWII, so we’re not like them and never will be. So stop writing nonsense that it’s Eastern Europe. Just look at http://www.europeetravel.com/maps/central-europe-map.htm
BTW. Gay prides are stupid IMO. Why I should be proud that I am different because of my sexual orientation? Who cares if I’m gay, bi, transsexual or straight if constitution in my country protects me from discrimination. Sooner or later we will have civil partnership act, without showing publicly our butts and rainbow flags. It takes only more time to process it than in liberal Western Europe. As you wouldn’t know Poland is independent from east side of Iron Curtain for almost 22 years.