Poland is not exactly known as a haven for gay equality—pride parades have been repeatedly banned in Warsaw—but the times, they are a changin’: Today, out lawmaker Robert Biedron and trans activist Anna Grodzka took their seats as the first openly LGBT members of the Polish parliament.
Both Biedron, 35 and Grodzka, 57, are members of the progressive Palikot’s Movement party, which won 40 out of 360 seats in the October 9 elections.
After WWII, the formerly multiethnic Poland became a largely homogenous, conservative Roman Catholic society—but Palikot’s Movement supports a woman’s right to choose and a clearer separation of Church and State, as well as rights for sexual minorities. “Enough of this concealing of the truth,” Grodzka told the AP after her election. “This group of people, even if small, has its rights and they should be respected. They should not be pushed into oblivion… [The people] wanted a modern Poland, a Poland open to variety, a Poland where all people would feel good regardless of their differences. I cannot fail them in their expectations.”
sic!
‘pride parades have been repeatedly banned in Warsaw’
Are you F* Serious?! It happend like 7 years ago – twice, when Mayor of Warsaw was Lech Kaczynski (that previous Polish President who died in plane crash last year). So please don’t write like it’s recent event.
‘largely homogenous, conservative Roman Catholic society’ – it used to be that way (89%% of population is Catholic, but only 45%% of them goes to church nowadays)
Biedron – he’s a drama queeen and fame bitch, he won’t do anything to change status of gay people
Kurt
Poland historically has been a very tolerant country and the Catholic Church relatively progressive. After WW2, the USSR imposed a Communist dictatorship on it. The resistance and the movement for democracy put both society and the Church on the side of freedom. I remember visiting Poland, and not only where (urban) people generally gay friendly but very concerned about a false image of their country as homophobic.
I think the impression they are homophobic comes mostly from the American upper class intellectual elite who look down on Polish-Americans.
GayGOP
@Kurt: True though that may be that the Polish People are largely not homophobic, many of their prominent leaders, and well known folks, like the Kaczynski Brothers, and Karol Wojtyla, alias Pope John Paul II, have been vocally, prominently, and virulently anti-gay.
Max the Communist
Go Polskis!
fuzzy
Wooot!
Dorothea from Germany
I wish both of them maximum success in their work. Go Poland!