Discriminated No One's Land

DISCRIMINATING/ DISCRIMINATED LGBT IN LESSER POLAND

NO ONE’S LAND GRASSROOTS LGBT MOVEMENT IN “neglected” AREAS Cracow, 2018 DISCRIMINATING/ DISCRIMINATED LGBT IN LESSER POLAND

NO ONE’S LAND GRASSROOTS LGBT MOVEMENT IN “neglected” AREAS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5 DISCRIMINATING/DISCRIMINATED LGBT IN LESSER POLAND

7 STARTING POINT

9 VOICE OF COMMUNITY

11 THEATRE OF OPERATIONS

15 RECOMMENDATIONS

17 NO ONE’S LAND GRASSROOTS LGBT MOVEMENT IN “NEGLECTED” AREAS

19 WORDS INTO ACTIONS

21 COMMUNITY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

24 ALLIANCES

25 OBSTACLES ON THE ROAD

27 WE ARE HERE

28 ABOUT US

DISCRIMINATING/ DISCRIMINATED LGBT IN LESSER POLAND

STARTING POINT

Are there at all any LGBT people “LGBT people are not visible in our in smaller cities and villages? city”, „This issue does not concern What is their life like, what do they our city” – these are the statements do for living and in their free time? that we have heard repeatedly, How do they connect with each whenever we searched for other? Do they build their own the answers to the questions communities? above.

Do they face discrimination? In 2014 and 2015 our Foundation Do public institutions have conducted a project called the knowledge and tools to tackle “Discriminating/Discriminated. homophobia? LGBT in Lesser Poland”.

Discrimination for me means a lack of tolerance towards a person or a group of people that have a different sexual orientation, religious beliefs or culture. It is a lack of acceptance of the way I am, just because I am homosexual.

Excerpt from an interview with participant of the research

7 It was a human rights monitoring The belief that a gay or a lesbian that aimed to increase from a smaller city has to leave the expertise on tackling it as soon as possible (usually discrimination based on sexual when going to university) is still orientation and gender identity very prevalent. But the question as well as develop common is what if a person cannot migrate standards to counteract it focusing to a bigger city, because e.g. on the local level. We have financial or personal reasons? decided to choose four cities in the What about youth? What about southern Poland in Lesser Poland people that do not want to leave? voivodeship: Tarnów, Oświęcim, Nowy Sącz and Wadowice. “Big city” stereotypes about LGBT community are In Poland the vast majority present and well. However, recently of activities focused on LGBT we can notice progress – more communities still takes place and more LGBT organizations in bigger cities such as Warsaw, want to and start designing their Cracow, Poznań, Wrocław, actions in some smaller cities. Katowice or Gdańsk.

8 VOICE OF COMMUNITY

We asked LGBT persons in chosen The most frequent forms of cities about their experiences, discrimination that they faced including those of discrimination, were ridicules, demeaning as well as their needs. gestures, including those of sexual 84% of LGBT people that we nature, derogatory graffiti in have reached during our project public spaces as well as bullying in in Lesser Poland had experienced schools. some kind of discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity within the last 3 years.

Diagram 1. Have you experienced discrimination on basis of sexual orientation or gender identity?

NIE

TAK

9 Diagram 2. What forms of discrimination have you experienced?

Primarily they were discriminated One in ten declared that their by their acquaintances – 70%. workplace (both colleagues and Half of them said that their faced bosses) is discriminatory. Over discrimination from strangers. 25% of surveyed persons have More than half (54%) have experienced three or more forms experience discrimination in their of discrimination. school, while every third LGBT person mentions parents, religious As seen, LGBT community not groups or their peer groups. only exists outside of big cities, but feels discriminated, neglected and forgotten as well.

10 THEATRE OF OPERATIONS We have conducted a desk When looking for partners in future research, approached the actions - LGBT allies, we talked representatives of City Councils to organisations working in area to interview them about their of human rights and democracy antidiscrimination work, if they building. consider it an issue or whether they have some tools in use or not. We have conducted media We have also send out requests monitoring focused on how, why for public information to various and what the local media have public institutions and authorities. said about LGBT people.

Photo 1. Railway station in Tarnów, by Andrzej Otrębski (CC BY-SA 4.0) INSTITUTIONS on sexual orientation and gender identity e.g.: are there any cases According to local officials of such discrimination in the cities and governments, there is we investigated, is there any data no homophobia or transphobia collected, do the institutions have outside of big cities. How did they the knowledge and tools to react? come up with that conclusion? Because the LGBT community We have issued our queries to city itself is not present, or at least councils in Nowy Sącz, Oświęcim, not visible and therefore its Tarnów and Wadowice, but also problems and needs are to superintendent, labour inspector invisible as well. office, local Police Departments and Police Human Rights Invisibility is encouraged by living Supervisor. Sadly, the outcomes in the closet, the fear of coming were not positive. out, lack of acceptance and support, including psychological Their knowledge about support. Living in hiding makes discrimination of LGBT people and building communities as well as available actions to counteract alliances much harder. unequal treatment based on sexual orientation and gender While doing our research identity, but also propagation of we laid out a couple of questions human rights was rather shallow regarding discrimination based and superficial.

12 During our interviews the topic We analysed local media in some turned out to be incomprehensible of the cities of Lesser Poland in and fairly negligible. terms of presenting the topics of Discrimination? Non-existent, LGBT issues. The public discussion as there are no LGBT people. And about civil partnerships or the those who live there are so hidden proposal of Gender Recognition that their discrimination is not Act, as well as the presence visible. Although, a bright side can of Anna Grodzka and Robert be seen – in some of the cities we Biedroń in the parliament, but managed to contact some officials mostly the discussion about the that notice the need for change term “gender”, which gained the and want to do something about biggest attention in 2015, were also the situation of LGBT persons in present in the local media. It was their surroundings. . treated as a news flash, an oddity, regrettably without any context MEDIA or explanation of key terms which demonstrates itself the most in 70% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and the case of unfortunate “gender”. transgender people surveyed wishes that the local media ORGANISATIONS would engage more in their issues, and over 80% expects To get to know and diagnose the that the media would do some local social situation in the four kind of antidiscrimination work. cities in terms of antidiscrimination This shows that LGBT persons are activities, it was necessary to get to aware of the way media speaks know the non-profit organisations about them and through that how working in the region, especially it influences the local community. those that focus on human rights

13 or democracy and civil society A couple of problems were building. It was a key part of this diagnosed: lack of interest, lack research as we needed to learn of engaged civil society, the about the particular situation in struggle to recruit volunteers or which these organisations work, to get funding (the second one how they collaborate with local becoming a bigger issue over governments and if the local the last two years). Nonetheless, community is engaged. Secondly, nongovernmental organisations one of the main aims of the project want to participate in was to get those organisations antidiscrimination work, inclusive interested in antidiscrimination of LGBT community. They want to topics and education including educate themselves and they have sexual orientation and gender built on trust a well-established identity to assess the possibility of position in their local communities. future collaborations.

More durable and therefore better are those relationships that sprout from a common energy and joined forces, because one can WORK with an organisation which works in a completely different field, but we communicate with each other perfectly. Excerpt from an interview with participant of the research

14 RECOMMENDATIONS

Diagnose and learn about the needs of local LGBT communities and 1 embracE them.

Grasp the possibility of taking action, find local leaders 2 and reach out

Get AUTHORITIES AND local officials interested in taKING ANTI- 3 discriminatORY ACTIONS, especially those including sexual orientation and gender identity

Look for allies within the local communities 4 and non-profit organisations.

When planning seminars, workshops or other educational activities TAKE 5 smaller cities into account.

NO ONE’S LAND GRASSROOTS LGBT MOVEMENT IN “neglected” AREAS

WORDS INTO ACTIONS

Bearing in mind the the local communities. We wanted recommendations, we focused to avoid conquer those towns, on taking action for and with the and telling people what and LGBT community. We have also how are they supposed to do. broadened our reach to two more Instead we want to support them, voivodeships, Holy Cross and get them out of their homes, Subcarpathian, as we received empower them and if needed a lot of queries and request from help by being visible ourselves. there. Supplementing the network It is worth remembering established in 2014-2016, that since 2014, when we first at the beginning of 2017 we have started our activities in smaller sent out a survey asking persons cities, the political context to leave their contact details in Poland has dramatically if they are interested in grassroots changed. Homophobic rhetoric LGBT actions in their cities of the current government caused and towns. institutional antidiscrimination actions to be frowned upon, Over the course of the next months and teachers and civil servants we talked, asked but most of all to be afraid, especially in smaller listened and learned from the local cities. LGBT persons are also communities. We chose the safest afraid since it is harder for them to and most comfortable means come out in a smaller city. of communication. Together, we wondered what events would One of the most important be most interesting, but also premises of our project was positively received and engaging a substantial participation of towards further discussion about

19 LGBT persons and their local The screenings moreover were communities. a good place for the community to integrate and get to know each At the end of summer, other. the first LGBT film screenings took place – open and free In Autumn 2017 we conducted for all, and advertised in local media. the second round of events, We assumed that they have to take that were a direct response place in local public institutions to interests and needs of local – it was a strong signal for gays, communities. In 2018 we can lesbians, bisexual and transgender see already a couple of events people, that those places should planned, as the communities take be also open to LGBT topics. their fate into their own hands.

Photo 2. A part of our project were screenings of “The Way He Looks” COMMUNITY UNDER CONSTRUCTION The issues that dominated our A slightly different situation could discussions with local LGBT be observed in the 2 bigger cities, communities were: where we started our project ++ lack of possibilities of integration in 2016: Kielce and Rzeszów. There and poor communication within are bigger LGBT communities, the communities, acting as “social circles”, but still ++ inability to self-organise, unused they are affected by the problem resources, tools and skills that of homophobia and stereotypes, are available to LGBT persons, lack of friendly places in the city ++ unfavourable socio-political as well as lack of LGBT visibility situation in Poland and in the in the region. region. However, the last one did not At the end of 2016, in one of prevent participation of out the cities, we started a secret LGBT people, that are socially or Facebook group focused on politically active, in our activities. LGBT topics. It was an outcome of our consultations with the local Something that caught our communities, that pointed out attention could be called a “social this form of communication and malaise”. There are a lot of events integration as most favourable in the cities where the project took and safe. The group quickly took place, but people do not want to off and at this moment has over attend them, they do not show 90 members. At some point any interest in them. People taking it became a tool for the local part in our project mentioned this community to organise itself by problem as well in the context of going out together or sharing LGBT community. information about various events or topics that are LGBT related.

21 In other cities the there was a What worked for us based on our similar story – sometimes we experiences? joined already existing groups and helped to reanimate them. At ++ Private meetings - not all of the the same time, we were building LGBT persons want to come a mailing list which would help out. It is worth thinking about us communicate quickly and a gathering for a coffee or tea effectively with local communities where persons can get to know about interesting events or actions. each other.

Things that seem obvious, cease ++ LGBT themed events - they can being so in places where there give a chance to meet each are no friendly places, where other, and secondly engage the only heard voice belongs allies, whose attendance is to conservative politicians important especially for LGBT and municipal institutions are youth. subjugated by them. ++ Activities in public spaces – Therefore, it is crucial to build they are riskier as one might not alliances and using the easiest want to or be able to attend tools for engaging communities. them, however, they serve an educational purpose and increase the important and often mentioned visibility.

22 ++ Approaching local journalist ++ Campaigning – increasing with LGBT topics – speaking visibility of LGBT community in out about discrimination and smaller cities. showing positive stories and actions about LGBT persons.

Photo 3. Participants of an event organised in Rzeszów ALLIANCES

During 2016 and 2017 a strong ally As it turned out, they were very movement was created, including keen about the topic and open smaller towns, build upon to new information, declaring the Black Protest movement that they would like to take part and Committee for the Defence in future activities for allies in their of Democracy. Some of our community. At the same time, activities, especially discussions we have received a lot of feedback about civil partnerships and from the local LGBT communities, marriage equality, or in general that the presence of allies during the demand of Polish LGBT our events was very important movement, were also targeted to them. at allies, as well as local politicians and activists.

Photo 4. Speech by the representative of Równość.org.pl Foundation during rally for indepedence of judiciary, by Katarzyna Derda/Aparat Partyjny OBSTACLES ON THE ROAD In November 2017 in Nowy Sącz The gallery is owned by the city; we realised that there is still a lot of however, we have previously work ahead of us. In Small Gallery, organised a screening without a municipal culture institution, we such an “outrage”. One and a half had a film screening of “Article 18” day before the event we were planned. It is a documentary that informed that there had been an tries to answer the question why accident in the gallery and the it was not possible to pass a law screening cannot take place there. formalizing same sex partnerships On the same day, in a local press, in Poland. After the film we Tomasz Michałowski, deputy prepared a discussion with Wojtek director of the Department of and Michal, a couple that takes Culture, Sport, Promotion and part in strategic litigation. Social Communication in the city of Nowy Sącz took a stance. His statement is a proof of homophobia plaguing the local government.

If someone wants to organise such meeting, one can do them in other places. The city of Nowy SĄcz had just accepted the patronage of Saint Margaret, therefore I cannot imagine having such events taking place in public institutions. The MAYOR explicitly did not agree for this event to be held there

Statement by Tomasz Michałowski, after sadeczanin.info

25 Unfortunately, this was not the The Foundation considers end of the story. Both local and filing a lawsuit, on the claim of national media got interested homophobia-based refusal in it, which gave a possibility of providing service by public to Michałowski and other local institution. officials to spew their homophobic views and comments. The screening and discussion took place. They were very successful, We have decided to file a and during the media hype, we complaint to Polish Ombudsman, have received a lot of words of who sent a letter to the Mayor encouragement from inhabitants of Nowy Sącz, Ryszard Nowak. od Nowy Sącz, as well as requests We look forward to receiving his to organise such events in other response. The case is still open. cities.

Photo 5. Header of Ombudsman’s letter to Mayor of Nowy Sącz

26 WE ARE HERE

At the end of January 2018, “WE ARE HERE” campaign is a in some cities of Lesser Poland solution to that need. Billboards as well as Rzeszów and Kielce, and advertisement were there to billboards and advertisements encourage inhabitants of those with a slogan “WE ARE HERE” cities to reflect and discuss the appeared. In the background place of LGBT persons in their there is a pair of girls holding communities. And to show LGBT hands. This campaign shows that people that they are not alone. LGBT people, as in gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons Billboards were also live not only in the biggest cities complemented by a campaign of Poland. in social media, supporting LGBT persons and allies to share their Where this idea came from? We stories and experiences, as well as were looking for an answer to to show the mutual support. what is the most crucial for local LGBT communities. What do they Because in the end - we are here. need the most? There was only one answer – visibility.

JESTEŚMY TUTAJ ABOUT US

Równość.org.pl Foundation was Any organisation or institution established in 2013 and since is also welcomed to contact us, the beginning it was focused on especially if they want to learn actions towards LGBT persons more about LGBT community and in smaller cities, especially in most of all – how to take their southern Poland. needs into account. We would be happy to tell you about our recent Do you want to live in more colorful projects, and we can also conduct city? Do you have an idea for an antidiscrimination workshops for action, but you don’t know how you. to start? Do you want to hold a film screening or discussion about LGBT issues? Contact with us!

28 SUPPORT OUR WORK

Let’s remember about LGBT persons in smaller cities and villages. Thanks to our work LGBT persons feel safer and know that they are not alone. Your financial support can help us in reaching more people and making their lives easier.. Donate or set up a monthly transfer. Don’t let those places stay neglected.

DONATE OR SET UP A MONTHLY TRANSFER

Równość.org.pl Foundation / Fundacja Równość.org.pl ul. św. Sebastiana 22/23, 31-049 Kraków, Poland IBAN: PL68 1090 2053 0000 0001 2123 1627 SWIFT: WBKPPLPP Title: Donation / Darowizna na cele statutowe PROJECT REALISED UNDER DEMOCRACY IN ACTION PROGRAMME, FINANCED FROM FUNDS OF STEFAN BATORY FOUNDATION