To date, five Polish governmental districts, 37 counties, and 55 municipalities have declared themselves “LGBT-free zones”.

Worldwide, there are 95 partner cities that have long-running relationships with these Polish regions. If their mayors and officials speak up, they have the power to make a difference in the lives of LGBT+ people ostracized by their Polish communities.

Ask these cities to take action and adopt a list of recommendations in support of the Polish LGBT+ community.

Imagine opening your local newspaper one morning and learning that your city had declared itself an “LGBT-free zone.” How would you feel leaving your house, knowing that overnight your hometown had decided you don’t belong there anymore?

For thousands of Polish LGBT+ people, this nightmare has turned into reality.

Since the beginning of last year, around 100 Polish municipalities have outright banned anything they call “LGBT ideology” and enabled discrimination under the pretense of “protecting the traditional family.” Powerful, ultra-conservative groups have inspired and backed this deluge of hate.

But we believe we can convince Polish towns to turn away from hate by sending them a message of love that comes from their partner cities in Europe and other parts of the world.

Ask the partner cities to get together and support LGBT+ people in Polish “LGBT-free zones.”

Partner cities around the world have long-running relationships with their Polish twins. They constantly engage in cultural exchange, visits, and mutual support. If they ask their partners to respect the rights of their LGBT+ citizens, their message will not go unnoticed.

Pulse of Europe and All Out have teamed up with Polish LGBT+ activists and developed a set of recommendations on how the partner cities can help.

But we’ll need your help, Andreas, to convince them to join us.

Today is the World Day of Partner Cities. Can you sign our petition and ask partner cities of Polish “LGBT-free zones” to help LGBT+ people in Poland?

Thank you for going All Out
Anja, Roman and the Pulse of Europe Team

SOURCES:

●︎ Pulse of Europe Homepage (in English, German, French)
●︎ Atlas of Hate mapping LGBT-free Zones in Poland (in Polish)
●︎ A Third of Poland Declared ‘LGBT-Free Zone’ – Balkan Insight, 25 February 2020