{"tag":"victim blaming","articles":{"blog\/society\/its-exhausting":{"key":"blog\/society\/its-exhausting","type":"article","published":true,"meta":{"createdAt":"2020-06-18T10:11:45+02:00","publishedAt":"2020-06-18T18:27:15+02:00","group":"wybory2020","category":"blog","subcategory":"society","slug":"its-exhausting"},"content":{"en":{"slug":"its-exhausting","title":"It\u0027s exhausting","intro":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\n                \u003Cnoscript\u003E\n                    \u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_small.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022Bart Staszewski bringing president Duda pictures of queer youth bullied into suicide\u0022 class=\u0022border-bottom\u0022 width=\u0022480\u0022 height=\u0022319.6875\u0022\u003E                \n                \u003C\/noscript\u003E\n                \u003Cspan class=\u0022hide-noscript\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022data:image\/png;base64,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\u0022 data-src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_small.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022Bart Staszewski bringing president Duda pictures of queer youth bullied into suicide\u0022 class=\u0022border-bottom\u0022 width=\u0022480\u0022 height=\u0022319.6875\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n                \n            \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI keep running away from Polish homophobia. Geographically, I\u0027ve left five years ago.\nBut online? I\u0027m \u003Cem\u003Etrying\u003C\/em\u003E not to read the news, not to engage with homophobes on Twitter,\nI\u0027m unfollowing Polish accounts\u2026\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut I can\u0027t keep it up. The extent of queerphobic hatred, especially recently, is terrifying.\nI can\u0027t just idly watch my queer siblings suffer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Csvg xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\u0022 style=\u0022display: none;\u0022\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E","content":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\n                \u003Cnoscript\u003E\n                    \u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_big.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022Bart Staszewski bringing president Duda pictures of queer youth bullied into suicide\u0022 class=\u0022border\u0022 width=\u0022960\u0022 height=\u0022639.375\u0022\u003E                \n                \u003C\/noscript\u003E\n                \u003Cspan class=\u0022hide-noscript\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022data:image\/png;base64,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\u0022 data-src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_big.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022Bart Staszewski bringing president Duda pictures of queer youth bullied into suicide\u0022 class=\u0022border\u0022 width=\u0022960\u0022 height=\u0022639.375\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n                \u003Cfigcaption\u003E\n                    \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/BartStaszewski\/status\/1273240542944649216\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\n                        \u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\n                        twitter.com\/BartStaszewski\/status\/1273240542944649216\n                    \u003C\/a\u003E\n                \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n            \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI keep running away from Polish homophobia. Geographically, I\u0027ve left five years ago.\nBut online? I\u0027m \u003Cem\u003Etrying\u003C\/em\u003E not to read the news, not to engage with homophobes on Twitter,\nI\u0027m unfollowing Polish accounts\u2026\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut I can\u0027t keep it up. The extent of queerphobic hatred, especially recently, is terrifying.\nI can\u0027t just idly watch my queer siblings suffer.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u0027s a presidential election coming up next week.\nAnd PiS, the ruling, right-wing, antidemocratic party, doesn\u0027t want to lose their puppet in the presidential palace.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESo they found a scape goat to sacrifice on the altar of scoring cheap political points: us.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne MEP \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/jbrudzinski\/status\/1271167309269413892\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E tweeted\u003C\/a\u003E\nthat \u201cPoland without LGBT is the most beautiful\u201d.\nAnd one senator defended those words in a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/Syrenka34\/status\/1271531863211982848\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E TV interview\u003C\/a\u003E,\nclaiming that \u201cLGBT are not people, it\u0027s an ideology\u201d,\nafter which he got immediately kicked out of the studio.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s quite a common talking point in Poland, actually. There\u0027s been a\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oko.press\/gazeta-polska-sciagnela-pomysl-na-naklejki-od-radykalnych-muzulmanow-ze-wschodniego-londynu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E newspaper distributing stickers\u003C\/a\u003E\nsaying \u201cLGBT-free zone\u201d. There\u0027s been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atlasnienawisci.pl\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E multiple cases\u003C\/a\u003E of local goverments declaring themselves such zones.\nThe excuse has always been the same one: we\u0027re not against those people, we\u0027re against the \u003Cem\u003Eideology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter that senator has denied queers their humanity, the current president decided to defend him\nby \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/patrykmichalski\/status\/1271749117593747456\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E doing exactly the same\u003C\/a\u003E\nat a campaign rally!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, the LGBTQ+ community members are not considered human by the sitting president.\nThat\u0027s the level of homophobia we\u0027re dealing with.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd it gets worse. Last year\u0027s Pride in Bia\u0142ystok was\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tvn24.pl\/polska\/bialystok-marsz-rownosci-proby-zaklocenia-i-interwencje-policji-ra954562-2292137\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E physically attacked by neo-nazis\u003C\/a\u003E,\nand Pride in Lublin \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wiadomosci.radiozet.pl\/Polska\/Lublin-Rok-wiezienia-dla-malzenstwa-ktore-przyszlo-na-Marsz-Rownosci-z-bomba\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E was a target of a terrorist attack attempt\u003C\/a\u003E\nwhen a (straight, of course) couple brought a fucking bomb to the event.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPrides, despite being overwhelmingly peaceful, positive and colourful,\ndespite being victims, not perpetrators, of verbal and physical violence,\ndespite being really careful with not expressing more sexuality that maybe kisses or hand-holding,\nand despite \u003Cem\u003Enot taking place at all\u003C\/em\u003E this year due to the covid-19 pandemic,\ndespite all of that Prides are still being quoted by homophobes as reason (or rather excuse)\nnot to guarantee queers equal rights.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey are posting explicit pictures from events like Folsom that didn\u0027t even take place in Poland,\nas a proof, that all LGBTQ+ are \u201cperverts\u201d who are \u201cexhibiting their genitals\u201d.\nThat same president, right after getting elected, was asked if he would hire a gay man in his chancellery.\nHe responded with \u201cI can\u0027t imagine anyone parading naked through the corridors\u201d. Really.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis country is freaked out about the taboo on nudity and sexuality.\nThe vast majority has never seen a naked man in public in their lives,\nbut still use their idiotic fear that someone might have a better sex life than them\nas an excuse to deprive them of their fundamental human rights.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere have been multiple tragic deaths of queer youth in the recent years.\nThe picture above shows three of them.\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/natemat.pl\/253311,popelnil-samobojstwo-bo-w-szkole-mu-dokuczano-mama-dominika-jest-zmowa-milczenia\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E Dominik\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026amp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.newsweek.pl\/polska\/spoleczenstwo\/samobojstwo-nastoletniego-kacpra-nie-wytrzymal-przesladowan\/h35pjds\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E Kacper\u003C\/a\u003E\nwere both just 14. Fourteen! They were bullied into suicide for being gay (or even just \u201cseeming too gay\u201d),\nbefore they even had time to fully figure out their own sexuality.\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tvn24.pl\/magazyn-tvn24\/zrobimy-z-ciebie-mezczyzne,242,4189\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E Milo was agender\u003C\/a\u003E, like myself,\nand using \u201cono\u201d pronouns, a Polish equivalent of \u201cthey\u201d, or rather \u201cit\u201d.\nThe linked article about their life and death is the only one that I\u0027ve seen that does not misgender them,\nbut consistently uses \u201cono\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAn activist, Bart Staszewski, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tvn24.pl\/magazyn-tvn24\/zrobimy-z-ciebie-mezczyzne,242,4189\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E visited president Duda\u003C\/a\u003E\nand gave him the pictures of those tragically dead queer teens. Duda didn\u0027t care.\nBart asked about the terrorist attack in Lublin and the violence in Bia\u0142ystok.\nDuda claimed he has no idea about such things taking place.\nImagine the hatered required for someone to decide they would rather face the humiliation\nof not being aware of a terrorist attack attempt that took place in the country he rules,\njust in order to pretend that queer problems don\u0027t exist!\nBart asked about the \u201cgays not being human\u201d statement. Duda claimed that it\u0027s free speech and he can say that.\nBart just left.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd it\u0027s not just the ruling party. The biggest opposition party and their supporters are a bunch of homophobes pretending to be allies.\nTheir party, PO, used to be in power for eight years before PiS, and they killed off any attempts to legislate\neven civil unions, let alone any true equality.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rainbow-europe.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E ILGA Europe report\u003C\/a\u003E,\nit was during PiS\u0027s rule that Poland became the country with the most homophobic laws in the EU,\nbut during PO\u0027s times it wasn\u0027t much better either. They are no saints.\nTheir city mayors have repeatedly tried to outlaw Pride. They are consistently objectifying LGBTQ+ people,\nselling them empty promisses, and screwing them over.\nRecently, they aren\u0027t even promissing anything, not even an open declaration of doing the first steps towards equality.\nTheir main promise is, I shit you not, \u201cwe\u0027ll get rid of PiS\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut their politicians are nothing comapred to their toxic base.\nYes, toxic. I would honestly prefer open homophobic hate than what the vast majority of PO\u0027s \u201c#SilniRazem\u201d are doing.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey are reguarly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/AvrisIT\/status\/1271340081350160384\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E gaslighting\u003C\/a\u003E us,\ntrying to make us believe that Poland is actually a very open, tollerant country.\nThat we aren\u0027t \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E discriminated. Even though we \u003Cem\u003Elive\u003C\/em\u003E this reality, they have the audacity to claim\nthat the world hunger doesn\u0027t exist because they just ate breakfast.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey keep queersplaining to us, what our problems \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E are, and what would be \u003Cem\u003Ebetter\u003C\/em\u003E ways to fight for our rights.\nIt\u0027s not just right-wing PiS shaming us for daring to organise Pride, it\u0027s also many of the \u201callies\u201d rooting for PO.\nThey have the audacity to tell us that we should be \u201cmeek\u201d and \u201clikable\u201d,\nthat we should organise some volunteer work to help farmers, in order to earn our human rights.\nThey didn\u0027t have to earn their cishet privilege, but \u003Cem\u003Eour\u003C\/em\u003E human rights have to be \u003Cem\u003Eearned\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd they keep victim blaming us. Whenever we dare to call out a centrist politician or journalist\nfor their homophobia, there\u0027s a bunch of #SilniRazem coming to tell us how \u003Cem\u003Ewe\u003C\/em\u003E, victims of PiS,\nare \u003Cem\u003Eresponsible\u003C\/em\u003E for PiS being in power. How we should stick our human rights demands up our butts,\nand just endorse whoever they tell us to, on the sole promise of them being \u003Cem\u003Eslightly less homophobic\u003C\/em\u003E than PiS.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn reaction to president Duda\u0027s comments, a group of LGBTQ+ activists gathered in front of his palace\nwith rainbow flags and just danced. By the police they have been chased down and fined for \u201cdisorderly conduct\u201d,\nand by the internet they were accused of\u2026 blasphemy, because that date coincided with a Catholic holiday.\nYes, apparently the liturgical calendar takes precedence over the consitutional freedom of assebly.\nAn it wasn\u0027t really the right wing complaining! It was mainly that \u201ctolerant centre\u201d\nqueersplaining to us that this happening was a mistake, because now the homophobes from PiS will start hating us.\n\u003Cem\u003EStart\u003C\/em\u003E\u2026\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd lastly, there\u0027s a huge problem with internalised homophobia and acceptance of one\u0027s fate as a subhuman minority.\nI\u0027ve seen gays trying to convince others that it\u0027s better to just stay low, hide, be nice, be meek, ask politely, wait patiently, do \u003Cem\u003Erealpolitik\u003C\/em\u003E.\nMany consider it the best and only way to win any human rights, to just accept any tiny breadcrumbs of equality they can.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd I understand that sentiment. The closet feels safe. Freedom seems scary.\nI used to represent that approach myself. I was waiting with my \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/blog\/magia-coming-outu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E coming out\u003C\/a\u003E\nto my former family until I was 21 and could financially support myself, if they kicked me out.\nAnd yes, it\u0027s \u003Cem\u003Eabsolutely okay\u003C\/em\u003E not to come out if you\u0027re not ready or if it\u0027s safer for you!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut what I am \u003Cem\u003Eworried\u003C\/em\u003E about is that even some people who are out and proud have fallen for that thinking\nthat\u0027s it\u0027s better to be nice to the oppressor rather than fight. It\u0027s a frightening mentality.\nThey started believing that equality is not a \u003Cem\u003Ehuman right that they deserve\u003C\/em\u003E,\nbut a \u003Cem\u003Eprivilege that they must earn\u003C\/em\u003E. Decades of gaslighting have led to that.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI could go on and on. But I won\u0027t. It hurts. It hurts fighting that fight, it hurts thinking about\nmy queer family who didn\u0027t find their safe haven abroad, as I did. I can\u0027t help but cry every time\nI see pictures of those teens who left us way too early.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy husband is still afraid to hold my hand in public, even after five years of living in Western Europe.\nOur marriage is still null and void as soon as we cross the border. In the 21\u003Csup\u003Est\u003C\/sup\u003E century.\nIn the heart of Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s a luxury, not worrying about what happens back at \u003Cdel\u003Ehome\u003C\/del\u003E our birth place.\nBut we can\u0027t afford that luxury. You know why?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause even though we were lucky enough to be born after the acceptance towards the LGBTQ+ people started growing already,\neven though we were lucky enough to move out of that country right before the biggest wave of hatred hit the Polish queer community,\neven though we were lucky enough to be able to escape our homophobic, abusive families quite early,\neven though our \u201cPolish\u201d live pretty much stays in the online world,\nit still hurts every time something bad happens over there.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0027re lucky enough to live here and be accepted for who we are. And yet, it still hurts us whatever happens over there.\nI can\u0027t even imagine how it feels for the people back there.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s exhausting.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPolish queerphobia is systemic. It\u0027s both spilling from the top, and it is rooted deeply in its catholic conservatism.\nIt comes from both the government and the biggest opposition. It comes from church. It comes from ignorance and indifference.\nIt\u0027s omnipresent.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPlease, whoever you are, help them however you can. Engage. Show the Polish queers your love and support.\nThey need your virtual hugs. They need your petitions. They need \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mnw.org.pl\/wspieram\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csvg class=\u0022icon\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022#light-link\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E your donations\u003C\/a\u003E.\nThey need your voice and your social media coverage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey need your outrage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Csvg xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\u0022 style=\u0022display: none;\u0022\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E","tags":["homophobia","queerphobia","president","poland","queersplaining","gaslighting","politics","elections","victim blaming","opposition","allies","systemic","abuse"],"hasMore":true,"image":"https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_small.jpg","introLite":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_big.jpg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_mini.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022Bart Staszewski bringing president Duda pictures of queer youth bullied into suicide\u0022 width=\u0022240\u0022 height=\u0022159.84375\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI keep running away from Polish homophobia. Geographically, I\u0027ve left five years ago.\nBut online? I\u0027m \u003Cem\u003Etrying\u003C\/em\u003E not to read the news, not to engage with homophobes on Twitter,\nI\u0027m unfollowing Polish accounts\u2026\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut I can\u0027t keep it up. The extent of queerphobic hatred, especially recently, is terrifying.\nI can\u0027t just idly watch my queer siblings suffer.\u003C\/p\u003E","contentLite":"\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_big.jpg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/image\/queer-suicides_mini.jpg\u0022 alt=\u0022Bart Staszewski bringing president Duda pictures of queer youth bullied into suicide\u0022 width=\u0022240\u0022 height=\u0022159.84375\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\n                    \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/BartStaszewski\/status\/1273240542944649216\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E\u003Csmall\u003Etwitter.com\/BartStaszewski\/status\/1273240542944649216\u003C\/small\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n                \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI keep running away from Polish homophobia. Geographically, I\u0027ve left five years ago.\nBut online? I\u0027m \u003Cem\u003Etrying\u003C\/em\u003E not to read the news, not to engage with homophobes on Twitter,\nI\u0027m unfollowing Polish accounts\u2026\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut I can\u0027t keep it up. The extent of queerphobic hatred, especially recently, is terrifying.\nI can\u0027t just idly watch my queer siblings suffer.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u0027s a presidential election coming up next week.\nAnd PiS, the ruling, right-wing, antidemocratic party, doesn\u0027t want to lose their puppet in the presidential palace.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESo they found a scape goat to sacrifice on the altar of scoring cheap political points: us.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne MEP \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/jbrudzinski\/status\/1271167309269413892\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E tweeted\u003C\/a\u003E\nthat \u201cPoland without LGBT is the most beautiful\u201d.\nAnd one senator defended those words in a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/Syrenka34\/status\/1271531863211982848\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E TV interview\u003C\/a\u003E,\nclaiming that \u201cLGBT are not people, it\u0027s an ideology\u201d,\nafter which he got immediately kicked out of the studio.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s quite a common talking point in Poland, actually. There\u0027s been a\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oko.press\/gazeta-polska-sciagnela-pomysl-na-naklejki-od-radykalnych-muzulmanow-ze-wschodniego-londynu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E newspaper distributing stickers\u003C\/a\u003E\nsaying \u201cLGBT-free zone\u201d. There\u0027s been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atlasnienawisci.pl\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E multiple cases\u003C\/a\u003E of local goverments declaring themselves such zones.\nThe excuse has always been the same one: we\u0027re not against those people, we\u0027re against the \u003Cem\u003Eideology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter that senator has denied queers their humanity, the current president decided to defend him\nby \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/patrykmichalski\/status\/1271749117593747456\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E doing exactly the same\u003C\/a\u003E\nat a campaign rally!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, the LGBTQ+ community members are not considered human by the sitting president.\nThat\u0027s the level of homophobia we\u0027re dealing with.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd it gets worse. Last year\u0027s Pride in Bia\u0142ystok was\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tvn24.pl\/polska\/bialystok-marsz-rownosci-proby-zaklocenia-i-interwencje-policji-ra954562-2292137\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E physically attacked by neo-nazis\u003C\/a\u003E,\nand Pride in Lublin \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wiadomosci.radiozet.pl\/Polska\/Lublin-Rok-wiezienia-dla-malzenstwa-ktore-przyszlo-na-Marsz-Rownosci-z-bomba\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E was a target of a terrorist attack attempt\u003C\/a\u003E\nwhen a (straight, of course) couple brought a fucking bomb to the event.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPrides, despite being overwhelmingly peaceful, positive and colourful,\ndespite being victims, not perpetrators, of verbal and physical violence,\ndespite being really careful with not expressing more sexuality that maybe kisses or hand-holding,\nand despite \u003Cem\u003Enot taking place at all\u003C\/em\u003E this year due to the covid-19 pandemic,\ndespite all of that Prides are still being quoted by homophobes as reason (or rather excuse)\nnot to guarantee queers equal rights.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey are posting explicit pictures from events like Folsom that didn\u0027t even take place in Poland,\nas a proof, that all LGBTQ+ are \u201cperverts\u201d who are \u201cexhibiting their genitals\u201d.\nThat same president, right after getting elected, was asked if he would hire a gay man in his chancellery.\nHe responded with \u201cI can\u0027t imagine anyone parading naked through the corridors\u201d. Really.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis country is freaked out about the taboo on nudity and sexuality.\nThe vast majority has never seen a naked man in public in their lives,\nbut still use their idiotic fear that someone might have a better sex life than them\nas an excuse to deprive them of their fundamental human rights.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere have been multiple tragic deaths of queer youth in the recent years.\nThe picture above shows three of them.\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/natemat.pl\/253311,popelnil-samobojstwo-bo-w-szkole-mu-dokuczano-mama-dominika-jest-zmowa-milczenia\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E Dominik\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026amp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.newsweek.pl\/polska\/spoleczenstwo\/samobojstwo-nastoletniego-kacpra-nie-wytrzymal-przesladowan\/h35pjds\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E Kacper\u003C\/a\u003E\nwere both just 14. Fourteen! They were bullied into suicide for being gay (or even just \u201cseeming too gay\u201d),\nbefore they even had time to fully figure out their own sexuality.\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tvn24.pl\/magazyn-tvn24\/zrobimy-z-ciebie-mezczyzne,242,4189\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E Milo was agender\u003C\/a\u003E, like myself,\nand using \u201cono\u201d pronouns, a Polish equivalent of \u201cthey\u201d, or rather \u201cit\u201d.\nThe linked article about their life and death is the only one that I\u0027ve seen that does not misgender them,\nbut consistently uses \u201cono\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAn activist, Bart Staszewski, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tvn24.pl\/magazyn-tvn24\/zrobimy-z-ciebie-mezczyzne,242,4189\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E visited president Duda\u003C\/a\u003E\nand gave him the pictures of those tragically dead queer teens. Duda didn\u0027t care.\nBart asked about the terrorist attack in Lublin and the violence in Bia\u0142ystok.\nDuda claimed he has no idea about such things taking place.\nImagine the hatered required for someone to decide they would rather face the humiliation\nof not being aware of a terrorist attack attempt that took place in the country he rules,\njust in order to pretend that queer problems don\u0027t exist!\nBart asked about the \u201cgays not being human\u201d statement. Duda claimed that it\u0027s free speech and he can say that.\nBart just left.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd it\u0027s not just the ruling party. The biggest opposition party and their supporters are a bunch of homophobes pretending to be allies.\nTheir party, PO, used to be in power for eight years before PiS, and they killed off any attempts to legislate\neven civil unions, let alone any true equality.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rainbow-europe.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E ILGA Europe report\u003C\/a\u003E,\nit was during PiS\u0027s rule that Poland became the country with the most homophobic laws in the EU,\nbut during PO\u0027s times it wasn\u0027t much better either. They are no saints.\nTheir city mayors have repeatedly tried to outlaw Pride. They are consistently objectifying LGBTQ+ people,\nselling them empty promisses, and screwing them over.\nRecently, they aren\u0027t even promissing anything, not even an open declaration of doing the first steps towards equality.\nTheir main promise is, I shit you not, \u201cwe\u0027ll get rid of PiS\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut their politicians are nothing comapred to their toxic base.\nYes, toxic. I would honestly prefer open homophobic hate than what the vast majority of PO\u0027s \u201c#SilniRazem\u201d are doing.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey are reguarly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/AvrisIT\/status\/1271340081350160384\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E gaslighting\u003C\/a\u003E us,\ntrying to make us believe that Poland is actually a very open, tollerant country.\nThat we aren\u0027t \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E discriminated. Even though we \u003Cem\u003Elive\u003C\/em\u003E this reality, they have the audacity to claim\nthat the world hunger doesn\u0027t exist because they just ate breakfast.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey keep queersplaining to us, what our problems \u003Cem\u003Ereally\u003C\/em\u003E are, and what would be \u003Cem\u003Ebetter\u003C\/em\u003E ways to fight for our rights.\nIt\u0027s not just right-wing PiS shaming us for daring to organise Pride, it\u0027s also many of the \u201callies\u201d rooting for PO.\nThey have the audacity to tell us that we should be \u201cmeek\u201d and \u201clikable\u201d,\nthat we should organise some volunteer work to help farmers, in order to earn our human rights.\nThey didn\u0027t have to earn their cishet privilege, but \u003Cem\u003Eour\u003C\/em\u003E human rights have to be \u003Cem\u003Eearned\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd they keep victim blaming us. Whenever we dare to call out a centrist politician or journalist\nfor their homophobia, there\u0027s a bunch of #SilniRazem coming to tell us how \u003Cem\u003Ewe\u003C\/em\u003E, victims of PiS,\nare \u003Cem\u003Eresponsible\u003C\/em\u003E for PiS being in power. How we should stick our human rights demands up our butts,\nand just endorse whoever they tell us to, on the sole promise of them being \u003Cem\u003Eslightly less homophobic\u003C\/em\u003E than PiS.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn reaction to president Duda\u0027s comments, a group of LGBTQ+ activists gathered in front of his palace\nwith rainbow flags and just danced. By the police they have been chased down and fined for \u201cdisorderly conduct\u201d,\nand by the internet they were accused of\u2026 blasphemy, because that date coincided with a Catholic holiday.\nYes, apparently the liturgical calendar takes precedence over the consitutional freedom of assebly.\nAn it wasn\u0027t really the right wing complaining! It was mainly that \u201ctolerant centre\u201d\nqueersplaining to us that this happening was a mistake, because now the homophobes from PiS will start hating us.\n\u003Cem\u003EStart\u003C\/em\u003E\u2026\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd lastly, there\u0027s a huge problem with internalised homophobia and acceptance of one\u0027s fate as a subhuman minority.\nI\u0027ve seen gays trying to convince others that it\u0027s better to just stay low, hide, be nice, be meek, ask politely, wait patiently, do \u003Cem\u003Erealpolitik\u003C\/em\u003E.\nMany consider it the best and only way to win any human rights, to just accept any tiny breadcrumbs of equality they can.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd I understand that sentiment. The closet feels safe. Freedom seems scary.\nI used to represent that approach myself. I was waiting with my \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/avris.it\/blog\/magia-coming-outu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E coming out\u003C\/a\u003E\nto my former family until I was 21 and could financially support myself, if they kicked me out.\nAnd yes, it\u0027s \u003Cem\u003Eabsolutely okay\u003C\/em\u003E not to come out if you\u0027re not ready or if it\u0027s safer for you!\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut what I am \u003Cem\u003Eworried\u003C\/em\u003E about is that even some people who are out and proud have fallen for that thinking\nthat\u0027s it\u0027s better to be nice to the oppressor rather than fight. It\u0027s a frightening mentality.\nThey started believing that equality is not a \u003Cem\u003Ehuman right that they deserve\u003C\/em\u003E,\nbut a \u003Cem\u003Eprivilege that they must earn\u003C\/em\u003E. Decades of gaslighting have led to that.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI could go on and on. But I won\u0027t. It hurts. It hurts fighting that fight, it hurts thinking about\nmy queer family who didn\u0027t find their safe haven abroad, as I did. I can\u0027t help but cry every time\nI see pictures of those teens who left us way too early.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy husband is still afraid to hold my hand in public, even after five years of living in Western Europe.\nOur marriage is still null and void as soon as we cross the border. In the 21\u003Csup\u003Est\u003C\/sup\u003E century.\nIn the heart of Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s a luxury, not worrying about what happens back at \u003Cdel\u003Ehome\u003C\/del\u003E our birth place.\nBut we can\u0027t afford that luxury. You know why?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause even though we were lucky enough to be born after the acceptance towards the LGBTQ+ people started growing already,\neven though we were lucky enough to move out of that country right before the biggest wave of hatred hit the Polish queer community,\neven though we were lucky enough to be able to escape our homophobic, abusive families quite early,\neven though our \u201cPolish\u201d live pretty much stays in the online world,\nit still hurts every time something bad happens over there.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0027re lucky enough to live here and be accepted for who we are. And yet, it still hurts us whatever happens over there.\nI can\u0027t even imagine how it feels for the people back there.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s exhausting.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPolish queerphobia is systemic. It\u0027s both spilling from the top, and it is rooted deeply in its catholic conservatism.\nIt comes from both the government and the biggest opposition. It comes from church. It comes from ignorance and indifference.\nIt\u0027s omnipresent.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPlease, whoever you are, help them however you can. Engage. Show the Polish queers your love and support.\nThey need your virtual hugs. They need your petitions. They need \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mnw.org.pl\/wspieram\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022\u003E your donations\u003C\/a\u003E.\nThey need your voice and your social media coverage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey need your outrage.\u003C\/p\u003E","words":1656,"readTime":7,"lang":"en"}}}}}