PSL deputies ignore rainbow families’ invitation to talks

The fate of the government’s bill on civil partnerships is hanging in the balance – but we have no doubt that internal adoption is an integral part of it. On Wednesday, June 26, a press conference on civil partnerships and internal adoption of children was held in the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. The floor was taken by people who need these changes and are affected by them – rainbow families. The day before, the families asked the PSL deputies for a meeting – unfortunately, it did not take place in the end.

Paulina and Patrycja with Vincent, Nadzieja and Dominika (@matki_polki_teczowe), Aleksandra and Karolina with Olek (@mamo_patrz), Anna as well as Michalina and Remigia talked about why they need civil partnerships, indicated what they are afraid of not being able to formalize their relationship and knowing that the Polish state does not protect their children.

See the conference recording (in Polish)

Why do rainbow families need a civil partnership law?

There are tens of thousands of families like those in the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. All families and all children need guaranteed safety. Rainbow families want, among other things:

• secure the child’s situation in case of the death of the biological mother, who is listed in the documents – currently, the social mother is a stranger to the children and in case of the death of the biological mother, the children may be cared for by other people (e.g. grandparents), and not the social mother they know and are raised with,
• regulate issues related to decision-making in everyday matters, such as a visit to the doctor or picking up from school – currently, a social mother must have a number of authorisations,
• travel freely with the child – so that the child can travel under the care of each mother, without the need for the social mother to present a series of authorisations,
• regulate issues related to inheritance by a partner under the law and the use of tax exemption,
• regulate the issue of exemption from tax on gifts between close persons,
• decide about the funeral of partner,
• have the option of taking your partner’s surname or a joint surname,
• be treated by the Polish state as family.

Civil partnerships are not a “fiction” of activists and non-governmental organizations. The lack of civil partnerships affects real families – behind this lack, there are stories that have faces and we showed these faces during the press conference in the Sejm.

PSL deputies ignore rainbow families’ invitation to talks

Before the press conference, the rainbow families invited the PSL deputies to a meeting to talk to them like a parent to a parent. Unfortunately, their request was ignored, and the only person from PSL they managed to talk to for a while was Marek Sawicki – unfortunately, this “meeting” was not the most pleasant.

See how the “meeting” with Marek Sawicki went (in Polish)