On Saturday, thousands of Poles marched to urge an end to homophobia in the northern port city of Gdansk, which organised its seventh annual Equality March under the banner ‘We have the power.’
The marchers made their way through the city waving rainbow flags of the LGBTQ+ community and the blue, pink, and white transgender flag, holding banners with messages like ‘We make love not war’ and ‘Jesus would walk with us.’
According to a police spokesman, approximately 7,500 people participated.
‘ It’s difficult to be queer in Poland, so it’s good to discover a location where you can be yourself,’ Sabina Joeck, 24, said.
In largely Catholic Poland, gay rights are a hugely polarising subject, and the country’s ruling nationalists have made combating what they call LGBTQ+ ‘ideology’ a prominent pillar of electoral campaigns in recent years.
Religious conservatives are vehemently opposed to what they see as an ideology aimed at weakening the traditional family, while more liberal Poles argue that such sentiments lead to widespread discrimination.
A small group of march protesters held Catholic rosary beads and a sign stating that the LGBTQ+ ‘lobby’ wanted to sexualize minors.
‘I’m not against homosexuals; they are simply regular folks like us,’ remarked Margaret, a demonstrator. ‘However, I don’t want them to get near our kids.’
Human rights organisations deny that teaching on LGBTQ+ problems in schools is intended to sexualize children.
According to Nikodem Mrozek, a 40-year-old mathematician who has participated in the yearly march since its inception, sentiments toward LGBTQ+ persons in Poland are improving, but certain politicians continue to demonise the community.
‘Society and people’s mentalities are improving, but the political situation is deteriorating,’ he remarked before the march.
Post Your Comments