Are you a queer woman or someone with an experience of womanhood who is thinking about becoming a parent? Or maybe you’re already a mom? Sign up for a free, two-day workshop organized by KPH (Campaign Against Homophobia).

About the workshop

During the event, you will:

• gain practical knowledge about the medical and legal aspects of pregnancy and parenting,
• hear stories from others and share your own experiences in a safe and affirming space,
• connect with other families and individuals in similar situations, building a supportive network.

The workshop is both integrative and educational – our goal is for each participant to leave with a greater sense of confidence, care, and readiness for their parenting journey. Please note that the workshop will be held in Polish.

Event details

When: June 7–8, 2025
Where: Warsaw

Participation is free of charge. If needed, we provide accommodation, meals, and travel cost reimbursement.

Limited spots available – sign up now via the registration form!

Registration is open until May 25.

Register for the workshop

At today’s Council session, the Łańcut County repealed the last discriminatory Local Government Family Rights Charter. Six years after the first resolution targeting the LGBT+ community was introduced, the last one has finally fallen. This marks the end of a dark chapter in the history of Polish local governance — a time when open discrimination against LGBT+ individuals in public life was possible.

One-Third of Poland’s Territory Covered by “Zones”

In 2019, in response to the LGBT+ Declaration adopted by the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, numerous municipalities, counties, and even provinces passed anti-LGBT resolutions. These included the resolutions against “LGBT ideology”, the Local Government Family Rights Charters authored by Ordo Iuris, and other discriminatory acts inspired by these documents, all targeting the LGBT+ community. Atlas of Hate first took up the monitoring of these “zones”. According to activists, at the peak in mid-2020, 104 such resolutions were in effect, covering over one-third of Poland’s territory.

European Parliament Resolution – A Big Hope, A Slow Impact

In December 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on “LGBT-free zones”, calling on Poland to cease discriminatory actions against LGBT+ people. While the resolution pointed Poland in the right direction and gave us hope that the “LGBT-free zones” would disappear automatically, that was not the case. It wasn’t until 2025 that the last three Local Government Family Rights Charters were repealed — all three located in the Podkarpackie region, a stronghold of the previous government.

Discrimination = No EU Funds

The most significant element of the European Parliament’s resolution was its appeal to the European Commission to verify whether local governments receiving EU funds had adopted discriminatory resolutions. Thanks to advocacy efforts by KPH and other NGOs, a direct connection was established between EU fund allocation and compliance with the principles of equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and other provisions of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Under the new EU financial framework that began in 2020, Polish recipients of EU funds — including local governments — were required to demonstrate that they are not engaging in discriminatory practices. This meant that municipalities, counties, and provinces that wanted access to EU money could not simultaneously uphold anti-LGBT resolutions.

“Equality Watch” Coalition Keeps an Eye on Funds in “Zones”

Together with 12 NGOs from across Poland, we established the Coalition for Equal Rights “Equality Watch.” By actively participating in EU fund monitoring committees, we tracked which local governments with discriminatory resolutions had received or applied for EU funds. We repeatedly responded to irregularities — filing complaints with the prosecutor’s office, notifying the European Commission, informing EU fund ombudspersons and the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, and ultimately lodging formal complaints with the European Commission. At the same time, the Ombudsman for Human Rights filed legal challenges in administrative courts, which ruled the anti-“LGBT ideology” resolutions invalid.

Family Rights Charters Lasted Longer

The resolutions “against LGBT ideology” used hate speech and openly called for the social exclusion of LGBT+ people, which is why they were overturned first. The Family Rights Charters, authored by Ordo Iuris, excluded more subtly, making the battle against them much more difficult. Two years after the last anti-ideology resolutions were repealed (thanks to the Ombudsman’s lawsuits), doubts persisted in prosecutors’ offices, public institutions, and ministries about whether the Charters were discriminatory. In such cases, individuals and organizations from “Equality Watch” intervened.

Olga Pawłowska-Plesińska, Campaign Against Homophobia, Coordinator of “Equality Watch”:

Since 2022, we’ve sent hundreds of letters to regional authorities, municipal and county officials, issued dozens of press releases, attended monitoring committee meetings, visited government offices and ministries, met with allies in local governments, filed complaints with prosecutors and the European Commission. Many times, it felt like we were hitting a wall and seeing no results. But today, we celebrate success — we’ve managed to get all ‘LGBT-free zones’ repealed. The consistent work of many individuals and organizations brought us to this moment.

Is KPH Done With EU Funds Monitoring?

Olga Pawłowska-Plesińska: The fall of the last LGBT-free zone doesn’t mean we’ll stop monitoring the resolutions adopted by local governments. We’ll continue to do so. We also plan to share our knowledge on using the EU funding mechanisms to combat discrimination against other groups. We remain committed to ensuring that everyone feels safe in Poland.

Organizations in the “Equality Watch” Coalition:

• Atlas Nienawiści
• Stowarzyszenie Fabryka Równości
• Fundacja Akceptacja
• Stowarzyszenie Instytut Równości
• Stowarzyszenie Kampania Przeciw Homofobii
• Stowarzyszenie Lambda Szczecin
• Stowarzyszenie Marsz Równości Lublin
• Marsz Równości w Rzeszowie
• Stowarzyszenie My, Rodzice
• Stowarzyszenie Tęczówka 
• Federacja Znaki Równości
• Fundacja Wiara i Tęcza

On May 9, 2025, the EPBN – WISE Role Models Award Ceremony will take place at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw. The event will honor 25 LGBTQIA+ role models and allies from five European countries (France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic) who actively promote equality in the workplace. The ceremony is organized by the European Pride Business Network (EPBN) and held under the matronage of the Campaign Against Homophobia.

About the Event

The ceremony will be held from 17:00 to 22:00 at the Copernicus Science Centre. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from distinguished leaders in politics, business, and civil society. Speakers will include:

• Katarzyna Kotula, Ministry for Equality

• Krzysztof Śmiszek, Member of the European Parliament

• Matthias Weber, Chair of EPBN

• Justin Nelson, Co-founder of NGLCC (USA)

• Christophe Margaine, WISE Project Lead

• Representatives of companies such as Microsoft, Orange, Legrand, and Sephora

At a time when equality and inclusion are under threat across the globe, this ceremony sends a powerful message: Europe must lead by example. We must not only protect our values of dignity, democracy, and diversity, but turn them into a competitive advantage. By recognising LGBTIQ+ role models, we show that inclusive workplaces are more innovative, more resilient, and more successful. This is not just about fairness, it’s about shaping a Europe that attracts top talent, drives scientific progress, and leads the world economically and socially, said Matthias Weber, Chairman of the European Pride Business Network (EPBN).

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The EPBN – WISE Role Models Award Ceremony is part of the Workplace Inclusion for a Sustainable Europe (WISE) initiative, co-funded by the European Commission’s CERV programme, and supported by Orange, Legrand, Société Générale, Sephora, and Label Paris Europe.

2024 was an impactful year for LGBT+ rights in Poland, especially because of the game-changing elections in 2023. It was a year of progress, advocacy, and collaboration across politics, law, community support, and business. Here is our look back at what happened!

Politics

Amendments to the Criminal Code Reached Parliament

KPH, together with other organizations working for LGBT+ people, met with Adam Bodnar and Krzysztof Śmiszek to talk about the need for changes to the Criminal Code regarding crimes and hate speech. Minister of Justice Adam Bodnar apologized to the LGBT+ community for the harm done by the country.

The draft amendment to the Criminal Code was submitted to the Parliament, KPH took an active part in public consultations on the project and, like many non-governmental organizations, submitted comments. On the initiative of KPH, a conference on this matter was also held in the Parliament.

Learn more:

Przeprosiny, prace nad ustawą o przestępstwach z nienawiści, nadzieje na partnerską współpracę – po spotkaniu w Ministerstwie Sprawiedliwości (“Apologies, work on hate crime legislation, and hopes for better cooperation were the main takeaways from the Ministry of Justice meeting.”)

Brak tożsamości płciowej w październikowym projekcie nowelizacji Kodeksu karnego – KPH składa uwagi (“Concerns raised over the lack of gender identity inclusion in the draft amendment to the Crimincal Code”)

Amendment to the Criminal Code on Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Is About Ensuring Everyone’s Safety – NGOs Claim

Civil Partnerships as a Government Project

On October 18, the Government Legislation Center (Rządowe Centrum Legislacji) published a draft bill on registered civil partnerships. NGOs submitted feedback and held press conferences both before and after the consultations.

Learn more:

Jest projekt ustawy o związkach partnerskich! (“The civil partnerships bill is here!”)

Konsultacje publiczne projektu ustawy o związkach partnerskich dobiegły końca. Zobacz wspólną opinię 14 organizacji LGBT+ (“Public consultations wrap up with joint opinions from 14 LGBT+ organizations.”)

The Commissioner for Human Rights took a Position on the Local Government Charters of Family Rights

The activities of the Equality Watch Coalition contributed to the repeal of 10 resolutions harmful to LGBT+ people in 2024. As a result, only three SKPR (Local Government Charters of Family Rights) resolutions remained in Poland, all in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.

Learn more:

Progress in overturning discriminatory resolutions.

“Equal Family” Campaign

At the end of April, KPH launched the “Equal Family” campaign, the aim of which was to obtain answers from every MP from PSL and Poland 2050 about how they would vote on the law on civil partnerships. The community also got involved. A total of 12,350 emails were sent. KPH received responses from only 25 MPs, including only 2 responses from the PSL.

Learn more:

Zapytaj posłów i posłanki Trzeciej Drogi, jak zagłosują w sprawie związków partnerskich – Kampania Przeciw Homofobii | Kampania Przeciw Homofobii  (“Ask MPs how they will vote on civil partnerships”)

Zasłona milczenia PSL nad związkami partnerskimi i tęczowymi rodzinami. KPH podsumowuje akcję monitoringową “Równa rodzina” oraz apeluje do Donalda Tuska i PSL (“KPH calls on PSL and Donald Tusk to support civil partnerships law”)

Political Advocacy Academy and Advocacy Network

KPH launched the Political Advocacy Academy in collaboration with the Równość.org.pl Foundation. This initiative provided activists across Poland with the skills and knowledge needed for effective LGBT+ advocacy. Additionally, KPH formed an Advocacy Network focused on supporting civil partnership initiatives, attracting around 60 participants.

Learn more:

Akademia Rzecznictwa Politycznego za nami (About Political Advocacy Academy)

Sieć Rzecznicza (About Advocacy Network)

KPH’s Position on Ordo Iuris and Other Issues

KPH has signed, and in many cases co-created, positions and appeals on important issues relating to LGBT+ people. For example it was our reaction to the Ordo Iuris guide for schools, an appeal regarding SLAPPs or a position paper containing key information on the situation of LGBT+ people in Poland for an independent UN expert. KPH was also present in international advocacy.

Learn more:

Nowy rok szkolny – nowa nagonka. Interweniujemy w sprawie poradnika dla szkół Ordo Iuris (“New school year – new battue. We are intervening in the matter of the Ordo Iuris school guide”)

Razem przeciwko SLAPP – KPH podpisało apel społeczeństwa obywatelskiego (“Together against SLAPP – KPH signed the appeal of civil society”)

UN expert calls for swift and decisive action to protect LGBT people 

Legal Victories

TVP’s Apology for “Invasion”

After a lengthy legal battle, TVP apologized for the 2019 documentary “Invasion” which spread harmful misinformation about LGBT+ people during an election campaign. This legal win set a precedent for holding the media accountable.

Learn more:

Nie ma miejsca na homofobię w mediach publicznych – TVP musi przeprosić za “Inwazję”! (“TVP must apologize for spreading homophobia.”)

Jakub Kwieciński Won From TVP

The final judgment of the court of second instance was issued in the case of Jakub Kwieciński against TVP. The court confirmed the interpretation of the provisions of the so-called implementing act, according to which protection against discrimination in the workplace due to sexual orientation is available to every person, regardless of the basis of employment (B2B also). KPH supported the case financially as part of the strategic litigation program. Jakub was represented by attorney Paweł Knut and apl. adv. Milena Adamczewska-Stachura.

Learn more:

Ochrona przed dyskryminacją ze względu na orientację seksualną w miejscu pracy niezależnie od podstawy zatrudnienia – Jakub Kwieciński prawomocnie wygrywa z TVP (“Legal protection for LGBT+ workers strengthened.”)

Supreme Court Affirms “Rainbow Does Not Offend”

The Supreme Court ruled that placing a rainbow on religious icons does not constitute blasphemy. This decision upheld the rights of activists and rejected discriminatory interpretations of the law.

Learn more:

Tęcza nie obraża – końcowy wyrok Sądu Najwyższego ws. aktywistek oskarżonych o obrazę uczuć religijnych (“Rainbow is non-offensive icon”)

European Court of Human Rights Issued Another Judgment Against Poland

The European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment in the case of Katarzyna and Sylwia Formela v. Poland. The ECtHR again obliged Poland to introduce civil partnerships and found that the lack of legal protection and recognition of same-sex couples violates the European convention.

Learn more:

2:0 dla związków partnerskich – Polska po raz kolejny przegrywa w ETPCz. Brak prawnej ochrony i uznania par jednopłciowych narusza europejską konwencję (“Poland loses another case over civil partnerships”)

LGBT+ Community Support

Queer Cinema with Outfilm

KPH partnered with Outfilm (VOD platform for LGBT+ community) to bring LGBT+ cinema to smaller towns (under 200,000 people). Eight movie screenings were held. KPH also organized one in KPH’s office.

Learn more:

Zorganizuj Queerowe Kino z KPH! Pokaz filmu o osobach LGBT+ w Twoim mieście (“Host a queer movie screening in your town!”)

Grant Programs for Local Communities

Through funds like “Rainbow4.love” and “Building Equality Together,” KPH supported 23 groups with grants totaling over 179,000 PLN. Workshops were also held to boost skills in social media communication.

Learn more:

Razem z Rainbow4.love przekazujemy łącznie 50 tys. zł w ramach funduszu na lokalne inicjatywy LGBT+ (“Together with Rainbow4.love, we donate a total of PLN 50,000 PLN as part of the fund for local LGBT+ initiatives”)

Aplikuj do programu grantowego: “Wspólnymi siłami budujemy równość: wsparcie i rozwój dla lokalnych grup i organizacji LGBT+” (“Apply for LGBT+ local initiative grants”)

Supporting LGBT+ Visibility Days

KPH cooperated with various organizations and experts working for LGBT+ people (including QueerMuzeum, Zaimki.pl). Together, we prepared posts on social media regarding Visibility and Awareness Days related to the diversity of gender and sexual identities.

Supporting Equality Marches

KPH co-funded 15 equality marches, including first-time events in Kołobrzeg, Stargard, Włocławek, and Rawicz. The “On the Road to Equality” (“W drodze po równość”) fund provided 50,000 PLN in support.

Learn more:

Aplikuj o grant na organizację marszu równości w ramach Funduszu marszowego KPH “W drodze po równość” – Kampania Przeciw Homofobii | Kampania Przeciw Homofobii  (“Apply for funding for your equality march.”)

“Rainbow Friday” in Schools

The 8th edition of “Rainbow Friday” (“Tęczowy Piątek”) reached schools nationwide. Over 100 promotional kits were distributed, and 15 workshops were held in cities like Konin, Tychy, and Gdańsk.

Learn more:

Dziś odbyła się konferencja prasowa inaugurująca 8. edycję Tęczowego Piątku! (“The press conference inaugurating the 8th edition of Rainbow Friday took place today!”)

“Postcards from a Better World”

During events like the Women in Tech Summit and Warsaw Queer Week, KPH collected 400 postcards with heartfelt messages and dreams for a better future. These were delivered to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Learn more

Almost 40 Matronages 

KPH supported almost 40 initiatives related to the LGBT+ community! These included: events, films, books, exhibitions and performances.

Get to know some of them! 

“Pillars of Tolerance” Social Campaign

KPH has become a substantive partner of the nationwide social campaign Pillars of Tolerance (“Filary Tolerancji”). As part of the campaign, an artistic installation was created in a new urban space in Warsaw, intended for social campaigns. The illuminated installation includes images of ambassadors next to values ​​such as freedom, equality, security, acceptance, happiness and love. Public figures such as Julia Wieniawa, Tomasz Raczek, Maciej Stuhr, Ogi Ugonoh, Red Lipstick Monster and Maciej Musiał joined the campaign as Ambassadors. 

Wartości rozświetliły centrum Warszawy! Ruszyła kampania społeczna „Filary Tolerancji”, której jesteśmy organizacją partnerską! (“Values ​​lit up the center of Warsaw! The “Pillars of Tolerance” social campaign has started, of which we are a partner organization!”)

Business Collaborations

“Crowns of Equality” Awards 2024

KPH celebrated allies and organizations advancing LGBT+ rights during the “Crowns of Equality” gala. Awards were given in seven categories, and the event was supported by 12 business partners.

“Crowns of Equality 2024” – Watch Video

Renewal of cooperation with Kubota 

As part of cooperation with Kubota, 5 PLN from each pair of rainbow flip-flops sold was donated to KPH. Kubota also supported our Queer Cinema initiative by providing flip flops for some of the participants.

Learn more:

Kubota przekazuje część dochodu ze sprzedaży klapków Rzep Pride na wsparcie KPH (“Kubota donates part of the proceeds from the sale of Rzep Pride flip-flops to support KPH”)

Cooperation with Sephora Polska

In April, together with Sephora Polska, we organized Classes for Confidence – empowering workshops for transgender people, led by the Sephora Makeup Team in an inclusive, friendly atmosphere, with the support of KPH. 

During two Warsaw Equality Parades, together with Sephora Polska, we created Safe Space, where people could get their makeup done for free.

Learn more:

Bezpłatne warsztaty makijażowe Sephora dla osób transpłciowych (“Free Sephora makeup workshops for transgender people”)

Wybierasz się na Paradę Równości? Odwiedź „Safe Space”, które tworzymy wraz z Sephora (“Are you going to the Equality Parade? Visit the “Safe Space” that we create together with Sephora”)

LGBT+ Diamonds Awards

KPH received a special award recognizing 23 years of advocacy and support for LGBT+ equality in Poland. This acknowledgment inspires us to keep going!

Learn more:

NKPH received a special award at the LGBT+ Diamonds Awards 2024!

Good Language Guide with IKEA

Together with IKEA, KPH contributed to the “Good Language Lexicon,” which promotes inclusive communication and counters harmful stereotypes.

Learn more:

IKEA publikuje Leksykon Dobrego Języka, a w nim rozdział KPH dot. osób LGBT+ (“IKEA publishes the Lexicon of Good Language, including a chapter of the KPH regarding LGBT+ people”)

 

2024 was a year of hope, progress, and collaboration. With your continued support, we will keep striving for equality and visibility for LGBT+ people in Poland.

The new report by Open for Business, titled “The Economic Case for LGBT+ Inclusion in Poland” shows that including LGBT+ individuals can serve as a powerful catalyst for economic growth, while discrimination against them carries both social and financial costs. Discover the key findings of the study and read the full publication.

Key Findings

• Skilled workers are leaving Poland for more inclusive societies
  Poland is grappling with a “brain drain” crisis as skilled professionals migrate to more open countries. Data from the World Bank and LinkedIn highlight this trend, showing that employees in Poland are moving to nations with more inclusive environments.
• Health-Related impacts are particularly severe for the LGBT+ community, costing Poland up to 6.1 Billion PLN annually
  The Polish government’s hostility toward LGBT+ individuals contributes to high rates of depression within the community. Additionally, restrictive LGBT+ policies hinder education and awareness about HIV.
• LGBT+ – inclusive companies achieve better financial results
  In Poland, companies that embrace more inclusive policies outperform others financially. A stronger focus on inclusivity enhances Poland’s competitiveness on both regional and global levels.
• Tolerant societies attract talent, businesses, and investments
  With the new government, Poland’s reputation for protecting LGBT+ rights has improved. However, the pace of change must accelerate for Poland to be recognized as a fully inclusive society.

Who is the report for?

The report is intended for:

• Companies operating in Poland
  The publication explains how integrating LGBT+ individuals can be part of an effective strategy to improve competitiveness and business performance. It also provides guidance on supporting LGBT+ employees.
• Policymakers in Poland
  For those considering ways to enhance national competitiveness, the report demonstrates how LGBT+ inclusivity boosts economic performance and how discrimination against the LGBT+ community can prevent businesses from realizing their full growth potential and hinder their ability to attract top talent.
• Polish NGOs advocating for LGBT+ rights
  The publication offers new, economically grounded arguments that can be useful in fostering social and business engagement, as well as in discussions with policymakers.

Download the report (PL)

Download the report (ENG)

About Open for Business

Open for Business is a coalition of companies committed to the belief that inclusivity and diversity drive business success and economic growth. The coalition’s mission is to promote LGBT+ rights worldwide. It runs regional programs in the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, East Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Each program involves collaboration with local civil society organizations to mobilize activists within business communities and support their efforts with data and analysis.

In Poland, the Open for Business Advisory Board includes Mirka Makuchowska (Director at KPH) and Agnieszka Kulikowska (Board Member at KPH).

Report presentation, Photo: Open for Business

On January 11–12:Warsaw became the venue for a unique event that brought together representatives from 13 organizations, groups, and associations from across Poland participating in the “Wspólnymi Siłami” grant fund. The event served as a platform for sharing experiences, building collaborative networks, and co-creating innovative ideas for the future.

During two days, participants engaged in creative workshops designed to help them develop innovative initiatives within their groups. The sessions were filled with inspiring discussions about successes, challenges, and strategies for overcoming obstacles. The event also provided ample opportunities for networking and strengthening connections among participants.

Attendees shared their experiences, forged new relationships, and laid the groundwork for future collaborations. There was also time to relax and explore the queer side of Warsaw during a special tour. Thanks to support from Kubota, everyone enjoyed the comfort of wearing iconic flip flops throughout the event.

This gathering highlighted the incredible power of unity, collaboration, and mutual inspiration. Energized and motivated, participants are returning to their communities ready to continue their impactful work in 2025.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved – we wish you success in your ongoing efforts!

On November 29-30, 2024, the Zlot Obrończyń i Obrońców Praw Człowieka (Human Rights Defenders’ Gathering) took place – one of Poland’s largest events for civil society, providing a platform for representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from diverse fields to come together. During the event, Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH) led a panel focused on EU funding in the context of LGBT+ rights in Poland.

The Zlot for the third time was organized by Ogólnopolska Federacja Organizacji Pozarządowych, Inicjatywa „Nasz Rzecznik”, Sieć Obywatelska Watchdog Polska, Fundusz Obywatelski im. Ludwiki i Henryka Wujców, and Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka.

Discussions during the event addressed topics such as the role of European funds in supporting democracy and fundamental rights, including LGBT+ human rights, as well as civil society’s plans and demands for Poland’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Zlot Obrończyń i Obrońców Praw Człowieka provided an excellent opportunity for participants to share experiences, build connections, and strengthen relationships among NGO representatives.

KPH’s Panel 

On Friday, November 29, Olga Plesińska and Annamaria Linczowska from KPH hosted the panel titled “We Can Afford Equality – EU Funds and LGBT+ Rights in Poland. A Case Study of the Equality Watch Coalition.” They shared their experiences and encouraged other NGOs to explore unconventional and innovative solutions. They emphasized leveraging advocacy and EU funding regulations to combat discrimination and promote equality.

The Koalicja na Rzecz Równych Praw „Equality Watch” is the first coalition in Europe bringing together NGOs involved in EU Funds Monitoring Committees, focusing on upholding non-discrimination principles and the Karta Praw Podstawowych (Charter of Fundamental Rights). In 2023, 13 Polish organizations joined forces to challenge discriminatory anti-LGBT+ resolutions and Samorządowe Karty Praw Rodzin (Family Rights Charters).

Thanks to the efforts of KPH, activists, and organizations within the Koalicja na Rzecz Równych Praw „Equality Watch”, 101 discriminatory resolutions targeting the “LGBT ideology” and Family Rights Charters have been repealed. As a result, only three discriminatory resolutions remain in Poland, all being Family Rights Charters still enforced in the Podkarpackie region.

Award for Advocate Radosław Baszuk

On Saturday, the Nagroda Obywatelska im. H. Wujca (H. Wujec Civic Award) was presented to adw. Radosław Baszuk, for supporting activists in cases involving protests, border assistance, and alleged offenses against religious sentiments. He notably represented defendants in the case of the Tęczowa Maryja (Rainbow Virgin Mary) artwork. This award honors individuals who provide critical support to social and activist efforts. Congratulations to the laureate!

Thank You for the Opportunity

We are grateful for the chance to share our perspective during the Zlot and for the many inspiring conversations with participants. See you next year!

The UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Graeme Reid, called on the Government in Poland to take swift and decisive steps to combat discrimination and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and other gender-diverse (LGBT) people.

“It is imperative that the Parliament take action on necessary legal reforms on equality in Poland, to address human rights violations,” Reid said in a statement at the end of his 10-day visit to the country. “LGBT individuals are negatively affected by the lack of adequate protections,” he said.

The expert said the slow pace of legislative reform by the Government was a source of disappointment and frustration for many of the 130 civil society representatives and government authorities he met across the country.

“I heard many heart-rending individual stories during my visit. A gay man denied access to his dying partner due to a lack of legal partnership recognition; trans people compelled to sue their parents to obtain legal gender recognition; children shut out of home, bullied at school, and struggling to find timely psychological support, among others. Fortunately, even small steps could go a long way in addressing these inequalities,” said Reid.

“I urge the authorities to adopt swift and decisive legislative reforms to bring Poland’s laws and policies into conformity with international human rights standards, including against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” he added.

The independent expert was in Poland from 18 to 29 November 2024, where he met government officials, civil society representatives, the national human rights institution, and LGBT people, in the capital Warsaw, Krakow, Lublin, Wroclaw and Poznan.

The expert welcomed the apology issued by the Government of Poland in December 2023 for State-sponsored discriminatory rhetoric against LGBT people in the past.

“In the aftermath of eight years of State-sponsored hostile rhetoric and public policies directed against LGBT people, the mental health consequences have been alarming. I heard reports of self-harm among LGBT youth in some parts of Poland – driven by rejection at home, bullying in schools, and inadequate access to health, education and psychological support to deal with those daily realities,” said the expert.

He also welcomed acknowledgements by government representatives that Poland’s law and policies are not fully in line with international standards – a determination that has also been made by international human rights courts – and that the authorities are working to better protect LGBT people from hate crimes, to enable same-sex civil unions, and to establish a clear legal route to gender recognition, among others.

The independent expert will present a full report on his visit to the Human Rights Council in June 2025.

We are deeply honored to receive this prestigious recognition, which acknowledges 23 years of our work promoting equality and visibility for LGBT+ people in Poland. This award is not only the appreciation of our past achievements but also a vote of confidence in our future efforts – a powerful motivation to keep going.

Since 2001, KPH has been a story of dedication, courage, and hard work by hundreds of volunteers, employees, and members of the Association who have joined forces to transform reality.

In 2004, we launched the groundbreaking “Niech nas zobaczą” campaign, where same-sex couples proudly displayed their faces on billboards, urging society to recognize our need for acceptance, visibility, safety, and equal rights. Our march toward equality continues.

With the support of our partners, organizations, institutions, and all of you, we’ve accomplished so much – but there’s still more to do. Together, we influence policymakers, strengthen the community, and build a movement for LGBT+ rights.

The second diamond award – for Initiative of the Year – was awarded to the Coalition for Marriage Equality and Civil Partnerships, of which KPH is a proud co-founder.

Thank you for standing with us. This award is yours too!

The ever-thickening aura of homophobia and transphobia, rising scale of aggression and strengthening experiences of depression and suicidal thoughts are just some of the factors that lead LGBT+ people to consider leaving Poland. The Report on the social situation of LGBTA people in Poland in the years 2019-2020 illustrated the disastrous image of the reality and the perspectives of the non-heteronormative persons in the country. The 6th edition of the study, was conducted for the second time by the scientists from the Centre for Research on Prejudice at the University of Warsaw, as commissioned by the Campaign Against Homophobia and the Lambda Warszawa  Association. The experiences of almost 23 000 participants of the study demonstrate a collapse in the previous trend of rising acceptance and improving situation of LGBT+ people.

The newest report from the study “The social situation of LGBTA people in Poland” provides unequivocal evidence for the negative changes the LGBTA people in Poland have been facing.  In the 6th edition of the study almost 23 000 participants answered more than 300 questions in an online survey prepared by the scientists from the University of Warsaw.

In just a few years, the previous positive trend of rising acceptance has been completely overturned by the widespread, aggressive homo- and transphobic propaganda. The observed changes are a devastating consequence of the public bashing of LGBTA people by right-wing politicians during the last electoral campaign, assisted by radical fundamentalist organisations and the clergy. The current situation is especially affecting the youngest members of the LGBT+ community, who cannot count on acceptance of their gender identity or sexual orientation- neither from their families, nor from the university staff or employers. As a result, we are more frequently facing depression, violence and exclusion that make it significantly harder to function in any given environment. The conclusions drawn from our report illustrate the catastrophic regress that occurred in Polish society resulting from the hate campaign against LGBTA people, piloted by the government- explains Mirosława Makuchowska, the vice-president of Campaign Against Homophobia.

The hate campaign is taking its toll – every second LGBTA person in Poland is experiencing serious symptoms of depression. 

The number of LGBT+ people who declare they experience serious symptoms of depression rose by more than a half. Currently almost every second survey participant (44%) has been affected by such symptoms, compared to 28% in 2017. More than half of the participants (55%) declared that they have experienced suicidal ideation (a rise from 45% observed on 2017 and 38% in 2012). This phenomenon is especially strongly manifested in participants who live in the so-called “LGBT-free zones”.

 

 

Less support from the family and more fears related to coming-out. 

The hate campaign targeting non-heteronormative people makes their families less likely to support them. Disturbingly, 37% of the participants have not come out to any member of their family (rise from 33% in 2017). Just 55% of mothers and 40% of fathers know about the non-heteronormative identities of their children. A similar same percentage applies to siblings (53% of sisters and 43% of brothers). LGBTA people mainly seek refuge with their friends- just 5% of the participants have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity to them (no change compared to 2017). 25% of the participants consider not coming out at work a safer option than outing themselves. At the same time the level of acceptance of parents for the sexual orientation/gender identity of their LGBTA children decreased. 61% of mothers, who are aware of the non-heteronormative identity of their child, accept them (a decrease from 68% in 2017). The percentage is even lower among fathers- 54% (a decrease from 59% in 2017).

 

Investigations into the public opinion show that in the last years the negative attitudes towards LGBT+ people have become more widespread. The media are filled with stereotypes and homophobia. Even more significantly, people who are considered authorities in the society, such as figures of the Catholic Church and politicians are openly spreading hate. This atmosphere creates the extraordinarily depressing social reality that non-heteronormative people function in. The results of our study, which was conducted on almost 23 000 respondents show that open hate frequently leads to aggression and has a huge impact on almost every area of the lives of gay people, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people– summarises Dr Mikołaj Winiewski from the Centre for Research on Prejudice at the University of Warsaw.

We need to leave…

The situation in Poland is deeply changing the migration process among non-heteronormative people. Compared to the rest of the population, LGBT+ people more frequently choose to live in large cities, where they can feel relatively free. The participants are more frequently considering moving abroad- 12% of LGBT+ people (around 140 000 persons) are thinking about emigrating with every third citing discrimination experienced in the immediate environment as the reason. The migration trend contributes to the decreasing economical potential of the country, as an obvious result of the migration of valued specialists who possess qualifications otherwise deficient on the job market. 

 

We are not waiting any longer! Marriage abroad is growing in popularity.

The living conditions in countries that are more accepting than Poland are important for the members of the LGBT community because of the possibility of formalising same-sex relationships. About 18 000 people living in Poland have gone abroad to enter a civil partnership or got married to the person of the same sex. If not for the financial obstacles, even 70% of LGBTA people in relationships would make their relationship legal (a rise from 62% in 2017). The percentage of people who would be willing to adopt a child, given the opportunity has also risen to 37% (from 32% in 2017).

 

The rising hostility sparked by the campaign of hate has big implications on the rising reservations LGBT+ people have about state institutions. The levels of trust for the government, the parliament and the police are extremely low. The results of this study show that the participants have almost no trust in those institutions at all. Those reservations are accompanied by the rise in levels of trust for LGBTQIA organisations, other non-governmental organisations and for the European Union. In the study, the members of our community declared that they mostly vote for the political parties and candidates who support the postulates concerning equality of LGBT+ people- explains Krzysztof Kliszczyński from the Lambda Warszawa Association.

 

Deteriorating trust in the state. 

The lack of trust in the state can be clearly seen in the strong aversion of LGBT+ people to reporting crime. The participants reported only 2.5% of crimes to which they fell victim. The very low level of reporting to the Police stems from the lack of trust in the effectiveness of this formation (51%) and the lack of trust that reports will be taken seriously (35%). This aversion often is an effect of previous bad experiences, since the officers often ignore the cases and try to convince the victims not to file official reports.

 

The coronavirus pandemic affected the scale and sort of experienced violence.

The results of the study have been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which made it cautiously interpret the observed phenomena and differentiate between the current situation and the previous findings. The most significant pandemic-related problems reported by the members of the LGBT+ community include job loss or the reduction of working hours, resulting in a decrease or loss of income and the deterioration of mental wellbeing. In the period of social isolation, triggered by the lockdown, the level of physical violence experienced by LGBT+ people in public spaces has decreased. Lack of mass events, marches and public gatherings caused a decrease in the number of acts of immediate violence towards non-heteronormative people. A similar trend could also be observed considering the rates of verbal violence, which decreased by 5% during the pandemic. However, 65% of LGBT+ youth still encountered such acts of violence. 26% of pupils and 25% of university students have experienced sexual violence, the prevalence of which is on the rise due to the ongoing pandemic.

 

Throwing out of the house leads to homelessness. 

The most recent study has for the first time investigated the problem of homelessness among LGBT+ people. Almost 17% of participants have experienced at least one episode of homelessness. The episode lasted up to a week for every second participant. In 10% of the cases, the crisis lasted longer than a year. Every tenth LGBTA person has been thrown out of their family home, 20% have run away themselves. The phenomenon of homelessness is most severely affecting young people- 26% of pupils and 18% of students have run away from home. 

“Treating homosexuality” is still practiced by the specialists. 

The still widespread conviction about “curing” non-heteronormativity depicted in the study proves to be a shocking ongoing issue LGBTA people face. Some of the participants admitted that they have been subject to pressure regarding change of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Such recommendations were made to them by psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, school and university staff and members of the clergy. All in all every fifth gay man/lesbian have encountered unambiguous suggestions to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

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The study titled “The social situation of LGBTA people in Poland” was conducted in the form of an online questionnaire from December 2020 to the end of February 2021. 22 883 persons participated in the study, the predominant group being young people (67% of the participants were less than 25 years old). This is the biggest and most significant investigation into the situation of non-heteronormative people, which is being conducted around every 5 years, starting in 1994.

You can read the report HERE (in Polish).
Shorten version of the report – an overview of the most important findings – available HERE (in Polish).

The Atlas of Hate team will appear in court with slander lawsuits being directed at them by local government units that adopted “anti-LGBT Ideology” resolutions, or the Family Rights Charter. They stand to be liable for at least 165,000 PLN (over 36,000 EUR). The first hearing is due on July 20th in Ostrołęka, the next on July 29th in Nowy Sącz.

The Atlas of Hate team is made up of 4 people—Kuba Gawron, Kamil Maczuga, Paulina Pająk and Paweł Preneta. They met on the Internet, during a wave of local government adopting anti-LGBT resolutions to monitor their actions. Based on their monitoring, www.atlasnienawisci.pl was created. The Atlas of Hate’s map shows local administration units that adopt “anti-LGBT ideology” resolutions and/or the Family Rights Charter, as well as those that vote against said resolutions or back out of them. Thanks to the Atlas’ work, the whole world found out about local anti-LGBT legislation. The international community acted with pressure against the Polish government, calling for the Law and Justice government to abandon their radically homophobic direction. The European Parliament adopted two resolutions* concerning the LGBT community in Poland. Western sister cities have suspended cooperation with their Polish counterparts (including Saint-Jean-de-Braye and Illingen with Tuchów, Fermoy with nowa Dembia, Nieuweigen with Puławy, Schwerte with Nowy Sącz, the Central Lorraine region with the Lesser Poland voivodeship and Puurs with Dębica). The European Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli suspended a microgrant program for 6 partnerships with Polish Cities, while the operator for Norway Grants canceled their grant worth 8 mln euro for the Subcarpathian voivodeship. The Polish Civil Rights Ombudsman Adam Bodnar submitted 9 complaints against legislation targeting the LGBT community to administrative courts. Now Kuba, Kamil, Paulina and Paweł will face the judge for their human rights activism.

We started monitoring these discriminating resolutions, because we’ve noticed that they are far wider-spread than what the media described. I believe they are a symptom of a crisis in local democracy: local governments should build communities based on respect and solidarity, not strengthen prejudices against the LGBT+ community and effectively escalate homophobic violence—Paulina Pająk explains—I say no to discriminating resolutions, because as a lesbian and citizen I want equal rights for LGBT+ people: marriage equality, a dignified transition procedure and protection from homophobic violence. For those who emigrated, for those who didn’t get to experience equality, and for those who will come after us.

A 165.000 zł. fine for fighting against homophobia

The first hearing of the Atlas of Hate trials will take place in Ostrołęka on July 20th, with the plaintiff being the Przasnysz district. The next hearing will take place on July 29th in Nowy Sącz, with the Tatry district being the plaintiff. Both hearings will take place online. In addition to this, the Atlas is awaiting trial dates in district courts in cases of Opoczno county (in Piotrków Trybunalski court), Przysucha county Radom court), Tarnów county (Tarnów court) and Gromadka (Jelenia Góra court). The local officials, represented by fundamentalists from Ordo Iuris, claim that they were slandered by Kuba, Kamil, Paulina and Paweł bringing light to their resolutions. The officials are demanding apologies published on www.atlasnienawisci.pl, reading the apology on the steps of the European Parliament in Brussels, reading the apology at a Polish Press Agency conference room rented by the activists and 20 thousand PLN for each of them five local organizations. The total cost of the demands, with 100,000 PLN going to social organizations, also includes 40,000 PLN for a 5-person trip to Brussels, 25,000 PLN for the Polish Press Agency conference room, for a grand total of 165,000 PLN. These demands are higher than the sum of Kuba, Kamil, Paulina and Paweł’s yearly salary. The Atlas team also expects one more lawsuit from Gromadka county. This will increase the demands to 200,000 PLN.

Despite statements that comparing Poland to Putin and Lukashenka’s regimes is a stretch—you can already lose your life savings to an executor and go into many years of debt for simply highlighting homophobic policies. All this money going towards the budget of a country that has the freedom of speech and anti-discrimination in political life enshrined in the constitution—says Kuba Gawron. 

The government harasses activists

Repressions towards LGBTQ+ activists have increased ever since Law and Justice took power. Kuba, Kamil, Paulina and Paweł’s story is an example of the lengths a homophobic government will go to to silence those who stand for human rights.

Repressions against us—persons working for human rights are becoming stronger and stronger. With a media witch hunt already happening, the government is using SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation). By forcing us into a lengthy and costly legal defense, public organs aim to scare us into silence. They also do this to warn off other human rights organizations looking to protect, for example, LGBTQ students from the homophobic witch hunt perpatreted by the country — explains Kuba Gawron

 

The court battle involves harassment. Lawsuits are sent to the activists’ workplaces, to scare Kuba, Kamil, Paulina and Paweł with consequences at work. For example, Kuba had to reveal his court case to his superiors and co-workers who were suspecting him of abusing his workplaces’ postal services.

If it wasn’t for the legal help given to us by the Campaign Against Homophobia and their amazing team of lawyers, it would be impossible to keep working. Even now, I have to pay more attention to 5 out of the 10 announced lawsuits than I do to the Atlas. If it weren’t for legal support, as a person living paycheck to paycheck with a family to feed, I wouldn’t be able to keep working on the Atlas with Kuba, Paulina and Kamil in what I consider the fight for an equal Poland—says Paweł Preneta.

 

Legal support is coordinated by the Campaign Against Homophobia, Polish Antidiscrimination Society, The Equality Sign Federation and Barabasz Lawfirm. Lawyers involved in the trials themselves include Piotr Jurek, Alicja Szpringer and Mikołaj Świstowski. The entirety of the defence is coordinated by Karolina Gierdal from the Campaign Against Homophobia.

92 resolutions covering 31% of Polish territory

In 2020 so called “anti-LGBT ideology” and Family Rights Charter stopped being adopted. Petitions from local politicians were rejected one by one. What’s more, as an effect of the activities of, among others, the Hate Atlas, local government units started withdrawing legislation. As of today, 7 units withdrew their legislation, including Kraśnik, Nowa Dęba, Nowa Sarzyna and Przemyśl. Despite this, the scale of the event is still enormous. Discriminating legislation is still adopted in 92 local government units, covering 31% of Polish territory. This is why Kuba, Kamil, Paulina and Paweł’s activism is needed so much.

When starting our activities, we expected criticism from conservatives and fundamentalists. After all, our goal is to stop LGBT discrimination in all of Poland. No matter how many times we’re sued, our aim is to continue working. The basic right to safety for the LGBT community, especially in smaller towns is our top priority. No lawsuit will change that, because no lawsuit will help teenagers—declares Kamil Maczuga. 

Atlas of Hate online:

• Website: https://atlasnienawisci.pl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atlas.nienawisci
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/atlasnienawisci

* Please take into account that the names of local governments should be given together with their types.
Without the types they usually refer to towns which have the same name but they are separate local
government units, usually without anti-LGBT resolutions.

* The resolutions adopted by the European Parliament:

• https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2019-12-18_PL.html
• https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2021-0166_PL.html

The Campaign Against Homophobia does not stop in the fight against LGBT-free zones. After last September, when KPH together with All Out handed over a 350,000 signatures petition on homophobia in Poland to the Commissioner Helena Dalli and displayed an appeal on the building of the European Commission, the time has come for the #InfringementNOW campaign. KPH, using Twitter and the infringement procedure, wants to put pressure on EU commissioners to send back the so-called anti-LGBT zones to the homophobic dustbin of Polish history.

Ursula von der Leyen has repeatedly condemned homophobia in Poland, but words are not enough. LGBT-free zones clearly violate EU law, so it is high time for the European Commission to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union – indicates the program director of KPH, Mirosława Makuchowska.

Hence the idea of the #InfringementNOW campaign under which, in January, EU commissioners, such as Helena Dalli, Didier Reynders, and Věra Jourová will be bombarded with stories of people from the LGBT community indicating the necessity to initiate an infringement procedure against Poland.

 1. Infringement procedure – what is it and what it relies on?

The infringement procedure is a legal mechanism using which it can be verified whether a given EU Member State has breached EU law.

2. Why do we want to launch an infringement procedure against Poland?

The European Union membership obliges to respect the rights of citizens of the Member States, and violation of these rights by state authorities may be met with consequences.

The initiation of the infringement procedure is aimed at seeking whether the violation took place. If the violations continue, despite warnings from the European Commission, a given country may be fined (as it happened in the case of deforestation of the Białowieża Primeval Forest when the government agreed to stop deforestation after Poland faced a possibility of a 100,000 EUR penalty to be paid per day if the action continues).

The LGBT-free zones resolutions or the so-called Local government Charter of the Rights of the Family cards are a blatant example of violating the EU law. They are discriminatory and are in conflict with the fundamental values of the European Union enshrined in Art. 2 of the Treaty on European Union, such as respect for human dignity and rights, freedom and equality. Therefore, KPH is demanding that the European Commission initiated an infringement procedure against Poland.

3. What benefits will the implementation of the infringement procedure bring for Poland and the LGBT community?

Launching of the infringement procedure and the related threat of financial penalties may discourage subsequent local governments from adopting discriminatory resolutions as well as persuade those local governments that have adopted the so-called anti-LGBT resolutions or the Local government Charter of the Rights of the Family cards to repeal those.

4. What is the #InfringementNOW campaign?

For the next 30 days, KPH will be tweeting  to EU commissioners one story of an LGBT person living in Poland, showing how LGBT-free zones affect their lives.

5. Where do the stories featured in the #InfringementNOW campaign tweets come from?

The stories featured in the #InfringementNOW campaign tweets come from people who sent complaints about LGBT-free zones to the European Commission. For the safety of the authors of complaints, the names, and other information that could lead to their recognition have been changed.

6. To whom are tweets being sent as part of the #InfringementNOW campaign?

Tweets will be sent from the Campaign Against Homophobia’s account to EU Commissioners who make decisions about initiating the infringement procedure. Among the four commissioners, there are, among others Helena Dalli, Didier Reynders, and Věra Jourová.

Yesterday’s events in the capital of Poland will forever be remembered by the Polish LGBTQIA movement. Shocking images of police abuse will always stay in our memory. The sense of pride, power and solidarity that we experienced during yesterday’s riots will remain in our hearts. Cannons have been launched against the rainbow and there is no turning back.

Yesterday, Friday, August 7, the court issued an outragous verdict: it concurred with the prosecution’s appeal and ordered pre-trial detention for Margot, an activist of the queer Stop Nonsense [Stop Bzdurom] collective, for two months on charges of assaulting and destroying a homophobic van – the same van that for months has been screaming in our face with impunity that we are pedophiles. She did what most of us wanted but were afraid to do – she started to defend herself on her own, because the state and the authorities stopped protecting us.

This time, Margot did not want to be handcuffed in a dark alley or dragged out of her apartment – she was at the headquarters of the Campaign Against Homophobia [KPH] in the Warsaw neighborhood of Solec, waiting for the police to arrive. A spontaneous solidarity demonstration gathered in front of the building: activists, members of The Left [Lewica] and the Polish Green Party [Partia Zieloni], and the national media were present. They chanted: “you will not lock us all up” and “stop political repression”.

Around 6.30 pm Margot left the KPH office and wanted to voluntarily turn herself over to the police, stretched out her hands to be handcuffed, but … the police said that they did not see any reason for her arrest. The officers refused to arrest her. We have no doubt that it was just a stall tactic.

The crowd moved to Krakowskie Przedmieście street. At the statue of Christ the King, Margot said goodbye to everyone. Then the attack ensued: the police officers caught her and put her in an unmarked police car surrounded by other officers. A blockade began – people sat around, chanted slogans of solidarity, more and more rainbow flags appeared which were later brutally pulled out of our hands.

The police were aggressively pushing the protesters out of the way, knocking people to the ground and holding them down with their boots. Our path was cut off on both sides and a roundup of random people from the crowd began. We stayed there and took care of each other, none of us were left alone.

The detained persons were transported to the police stations; there was no information who had been detained or where. The immunity of the MPs and opposition deputies, who accompanied us from the very first moments and protected us with their own bodies, was ignored. The detained persons had no contact with their families; no legal representatives or deputies were allowed. The rights of defense were violated at every stage. People were questioned without the participation of defense counsel. We were denied the right to information. It was only the deputy Magdalena Biejat’s (The Left) blockade of the police car late at night that forced the police to disclose where some of those arrested at the police station on Zakroczymska street had been transported. Until now, we are not sure where most of us are. The police are lying and hiding information.

Earlier, an ostentatious roundup was organized at the police station on Wilcza street, where the rainbow solidarity picket had gathered. More and more people were being detained; it looked like it would never end. Now we know that more than 50 people have been detained, the first interrogations are underway. The Ombudsman, Adam Bodnar, and representatives of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture intervened.

****

What happened yesterday is not normal and it is a clear violation of human rights.

Yesterday’s riots are the result of a two-year campaign against LGBT people in Poland. It is the result of a brazen homophobia of the authorities who did not hesitate to use any means of violence to intimidate us. We have experienced unprecedented abuses by the police and disproportionate means of coercion. We are a target of continuing, escalating violence.

We, the LGBTQIA community in Poland, are fed up with repression, intimidation, and aggression by the Polish authorities and the police.

We are calling upon the state and international authorities to:

1. Summon the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw to revoke Margot’s pre-trial arrest warrant.

• District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw, sekretariat@warszawa.po.gov.pl, phone number: +48 22 217 31 20
• Zbigniew Ziobro, the Public Prosecutor General, zbigniew.ziobro@sejm.pl, phone number: +48 22 12 51 594

2. Call upon the Polish police to immediately release those detained during yesterday’s demonstrations.

• Police Commander in Chief – gen. insp. Jarosław Szymczyk, kancelaria.gsp@policja.gov.pl, +48 22 25 00 112
• Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Mariusz Kamiński, mariusz.kaminski@sejm.pl, +48 22 60 14 295

3. Call upon  Polish law enforcement agencies to refrain from further repression of demonstrators.

The rainbow flag and LGBT people are now becoming a new symbol of the fight for freedom and democracy. We are ready for the Polish Stonewall: you will not lock us all up.

photo: Robert Kuszyński/OKO.press

Due to Andrzej Duda’s election campaign and conservative politicians saying, “The LGBT community are not people, they are ideologies,” June’s Pride Month turned into a festival of homophobic hatred. That’s the reason the Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH) recorded a spot in only 4 days, in which almost a half a thousand people from the LGBT community showed their face and each and every one of them declared their humanity. Through our spot we want to deal with the dehumanizing myth of a non-existent ideology once and for all, strengthen the LGBT community, and mobilize everyone and anyone to vote in the elections – says Cecylia Jakubczak from the Campaign Against Homophobia.

A heartfelt and touching spot from the Campaign Against Homophobia has just dropped on the media, in which nearly half a thousand people from the LGBT community all over Poland, while looking directly into the camera, declare “I am LGBT – I am human”. The spot is the KPH’s response to Andrzej Duda’s homophobic presidential campaign, which, together with other PiS politicians, dehumanizes the LGBT community by denying homosexual, bisexual, and transgender people. People identifying as LGBT are our flesh and blood– they are our brothers and sisters, neighbors, and coworkers. They are our beloved sons or daughters, our hairdressers that cut our hair every month, and the owners of our neighborhood store. They are our doctors who have been treating us for years, and our math teachers who taught us to count.

That’s why the KPH decided to put their entire spot on the basis of videos that the LGBT community prepared themselves on their phones. And right next to well-known members of the LGBT community, such as vocalist Michał Kwiatkowski, volleyball player Katarzyna Skorupa, Lao Che drummer Michał Dimon Jastrzębski, and activist Areta Szpura, there will be office workers, students, doctors, schoolchildren, and artists who together make up two million of the Polish population. There will, of course, be one thing connecting them: “I am LGBT– I am human.”

Through our spot we want to deal with the dehumanizing myth of a non-existent ideology once and for all, strengthen the LGBT community, and mobilize everyone and anyone to vote in the elections,” says Cecylia Jakubczak from the Campaign Against Homophobia. The video also hopes to mobilize as many people as possible to cast their vote in the upcoming elections which, thanks to their commitment and determination, have a chance of ending an era of homophobic and transphobic governmental rule in Poland.

The spot can be viewed on all social media and on the websites of the  Campaign Against Homophobia, its patrons and media patrons, as well as partner organizations.

A thank you goes out to all those who responded to our appeal and took part in the filming of “I am LGBT– I am human”.  You are all incredibly brave and strong people who deserve the utmost respect. At the same time, we have to apologize to the people whose videos were regrettably not included in the spot.

Media Support: Gazeta Wyborcza, Halo Radio, KMag, Krytyka Polityczna, Magazyn Kontakt, Noizz.pl, OKO Press, Magazyn Pismo, Notes na 6 Tygodni, Poptown.eu, Queer.pl, Radio Kapitał, Replika, Vogue Polska, Wysokie Obcasy, Zwykłe Życie

Partners: Bank Równości, Cicha Tęcza, Fabryka Równości, Fundacja Warto być równym nad Wartą, Grupa Stonewall, Instytut Równości, Kultura Równości, Lambda Szczecin, Marsz Równości w Koszalinie, Marsz Równości w Lublinie, Marsz Równości w Rzeszowie, Płocki Marsz Równości, My, rodzice, Olsztyński Marsz Równości, Parada Równosci, Queerowy Maj, Fundacja Równość.org.pl, Stan Równości, Stowarzyszenie Pracownia Różnorodności, Tolerado, Prowincja Równości, Tęczowy Białystok, Tęczowa Częstochowa, Tęczowe Opole, Tęczowy Tarnów, Stowarzyszenie Tęczówka, Fundacja Trans-Fuzja.

Advertising Execution: Editor: – Yakiv Komarynsky || Online: Joanna Rutkowska || Sound Engineering: Jacek Dżeksong Onaszkiewicz || Post Production: Monika Jaworska || Supervision: Iga Zawadzińska, Magda Czmuda, Michał Wojciechowski || Consultation:  Szymona Ziegler

As a result of the intervention of Campaign against Homophobia (KPH), the District Court in Warsaw issued an injunction in which it compels TVP to remove “Invasion” from Youtube. It is a great success of KPH and Jakub Turski, an attorney who represents us and whose efforts have caused this homophobic and socially harmful libel to be taken off of the Internet – comments on the Court’s decision Slava Melnyk, the Executive Director of KPH. There are other actions against TVP already in the works and therefore, KPH starts raising funds with the “Fundraiser: Equality Invasion of TVP”.

On October 10, right after the Evening News segment and just before the match of the Polish national football team, TVP broadcast “Invasion” – a slanderous piece defaming the LGBT community. The Polish National Television channel used this menacing material to present viewers with 30 minutes of manipulations, half-truths and distorted interpretations, all of which was illustrated with snapshots of Pride marches, including close-ups of faces of their participants and with material collected by a woman sent to KPH to record operations of our organization on a hidden camera.

KPH Lawyers Invaded TVP

Campaign against Homophobia took prompt measures to stop the “Invasion” from appearing on the Internet.  In the cease and desist letter drawn up by Jakub Turski, the attorney representing KPH, TVP was called upon to: cease the violation of personal rights of KPH, i.e. to take “Invasion” off of Youtube and not to broadcast it in any form, to publish an official apology on the prime time Evening News and to pay PLN 10,000 to the benefit of the Helpline operated by Lambda Warsaw or to broadcast “Stoję po stronie młodzieży” (I root for the Youth) spot. The letter was left unanswered by the Polish National Television network and the action against TVP was brought to the District Court in Warsaw.

The Court decides: “Invasion” must go

In the action brought against TVP to the District Court in Warsaw, KPH requested TVP to do the same as they did in the cease and desist letter while simultaneously petitioning for an injunction which would order the removal of “Invasion” from Youtube and ban its publication in whole or in part in any form for one year. The Court issued the injunction in which it ordered the Polish TV to remove “Invasion” from Youtube and what’s more, it prohibited TVP from broadcasting “Invasion” in whole or in part in any form for one year. TVP has been allowed 60 days by the Court to respond to the injunction. The decision is not yet final.

It is a great success of KPH and Jakub Turski, the attorney who represents us and whose efforts have caused this homophobic and socially harmful libel to be taken off of the Internet – comments on the Court’s decision Slava Melnyk, the Executive Director of KPH.

Jakub Turski, the attorney representing KPH, is also rather pleased with the Court’s decision: The District Court found that in light of the merits of the case and evidence presented, claims of the action and the legal interest of KPH seem to be substantiated. We are very pleased with the Court’s decision. We are now awaiting the reaction of the TV network.

Equality Invasion of TVP – fundraiser for any subsequent actions against TVP

Apart from Campaign against Homophobia, “Invasion” featured faces or statements of seven persons whose safety – due to the hateful nature of the material – has been compromised. All these persons would like to bring an action at law to seek justice.

I want to defend my name in court because I will not let a government run TV station lie to the Polish society with impunity and attack persons who fight every day for respect and dignity of LGBT people – says Magdalena Świder, one of the persons whose statement was featured in “Invasion”.

A court battle for equality in these eight suits will cost approx. PLN 35 000.

Due to high costs of these court proceedings we are launching the “Equality Invasion of TVP” fundraiser on Facebook to collect the sum required jointly with others and show that there is no social consent to homophobia on the public television – informs Slava Melnyk, the Executive Director of KPH.

You can also donate money by a bank transfer to our organization’s bank account entitling it “Darowizna: Inwazja równości na TVP” with the following number: 35 2130 0004 2001 0344 2274 0001.

Join “Equality Invasion of TVP” fundraiser

All funds so raised shall be used for covering the costs of court proceedings, including court fees on actions, postage of letters in the course of the proceedings, costs of legal coordination of eight actions and securing funds for a possible defeat in court which we do not assume, but which we have to account for – lists Karolina Gierdal, KPH’s lawyer.

If we win, any unused funds shall be designated for other actions brought to court by the Legal Group of Campaign against Homophobia and for strategic litigations the aim of which is to implement equality in Poland.