Dozens of Polish towns have clared themselv ee of "LGBT iology". It means difficult choic for gay people livg them.
Contents:
- MANY BRONS HAVE CHANGED THEIR MDS ON GAY MARRIAGE
- I’M 43 – BUT I’M MA TO FEEL LIKE A DOSR BY YOUNGER GAY MEN
- JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU
MANY BRONS HAVE CHANGED THEIR MDS ON GAY MARRIAGE
* poland gay zones *
Policians' hostily to gay rights has bee a flashpot, ptg the relig right agast more liberal-md Pol. And gay people livg the areas are faced wh a choice: emigrate, keep their heads down - or fight back.
I’M 43 – BUT I’M MA TO FEEL LIKE A DOSR BY YOUNGER GAY MEN
Poland's right-wg populist lear Andrzej Duda me to power last year on a platform cryg a ‘LGBT-iology’ he alleged was spreadg throughout his untry at the expense of tradnal fay valu. Now, dozens of Polish municipali have enacted "LGBT iology ee zon" makg members of the gay muny this European Unn member state fear for their safety. Simon Ostrovsky reports om Poland wh support om the Pulzer Center. * poland gay zones *
It crimalised homosexualy 1932, s before most European untri.
JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU
For 30 days, begng January 17, European Unn missners received daily Twter notifitns lkg to personal stori of lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) Pol who have been harmed by the so-lled “LGBT Iology Free Zon” or anti-LGBT “Fay Charters” nearly 100 Polish regns, towns, and ci. * poland gay zones *
But he is agast what he scrib as "aggrsive iology promotg homosexualy". The stggle for gay rights is a foreign ncept imported om the US and Wtern Europe, he adds, and threatens the tradnal heterosexual Polish fay. Fd out moreWh state-sanctned homophobia and a largely hostile media, Polish gay people risk beg phed back to the closet, pecially small towns.
‘In gay years, you’re rather past your sell-by date, aren’t you?’ the person ont of me said, raisg an eyebrow. * poland gay zones *
Image ptn, Bart Staszewski SwidnikWhen I arrive on a Saturday morng, half a dozen gay activists are the ma square handg out leaflets, "love is love" stickers and iced doughnuts wh multi-loured sprkl.
The untry has been ranked as the worst place the European Unn to be gay or trans. * poland gay zones *
Their spokman, Bart Staszewski, has anised what he lled a queer tour of Poland's east to show people that gay people are "normal cizens" adds: "We are the rabow myth-bters. "Swidnik ee of rabow propaganda, " they yell, tryg to drown out the sound of the breezy pop mic g om the speakers of the gay rights activists. And that's what the gays are tryg to do.
" He adds that many gay, lbian, bisexual and transgenr Pol have recently emigrated to pe Tuchow, a town of 6, 500 people found medieval tim, which has also clared self ee of "LGBT iology", I meet a gay teenager a lol park. Still, that don't mean is easy to be gay this part of Poland, 100km east of ptn, Poland has been lled the worst untry the EU for LGBT rights"Once, when my boyiend and I were holdg hands", he says, "we heard a few people shoutg nam at .
Kev Maxen, an associate strength ach wh the Jacksonville Jaguars, has bee the first male ach a major U.S.-based profsnal league to e out as gay. * poland gay zones *
" Gay people Tuchow, he adds, n only live peace by stayg "visible".
"At this pot, her hband Kazimierz terpts to tell that homosexualy is a sickns that n be treated. "It is not as if you're done for and you're a homosexual for the rt of your life.
"Homosexual unns do not guarantee the growth of our fatherland, " she tells me. Durg his re-electn mpaign June, Print Duda signed a "Fay Charter, " cludg pledg to prevent gay upl om marryg or adoptg children and to ban teachg about LGBT issu schools.
Poland's "LGBT-ee zon" - nearly 100 regns, towns and ci that have passed anti-gay rolutns - uld enurage hate crime and spur vlence, acrdg to a European human rights body. * poland gay zones *
But she tells me she is not agast gay people and was appalled when she received hate mail om all over the world.
Rather, 's that the polil parti, the European Unn - and the LGBT anisatns - they're all g Tuchow to pursue their own terts, " she Polish policians have stood up for gay rights. Some even held up pi of the nstutn to show that they believe the print has vlated the untry's legal a number of gay activists feel let down by liberal policians who have failed to take ncrete actns. They say there's no longer any pot mpaigng peacefully agast homophobia.
The nservative chary regularly sends tcks wh loudspeakers around Polish ci wh a msage nflatg homosexualy and sex tn wh paedophilia. ""Basilly the msage they've been blastg through those loudspeakers is that gays rape children, " says Margot, who has jt been released om prison. "I jt read a post on Twter that one of the gay activists has said that the time for peaceful stggle is over", says Matsz Marzoch prottg outsi Warsaw's universy.