Activism

People In Poland Held A Huge Pride March To Demand The Right-Wing Government Stop Attacking LGBTQ Rights

Poland is one of the worst European Union countries for LGBTQ people.

Kassy Cho

Kassy Cho

— 3 min read
People In Poland Held A Huge Pride March To Demand The Right-Wing Government Stop Attacking LGBTQ Rights

Tens of thousands of people in Poland have taken to the streets in a huge pride march to demand the right-wing government stop attacking LGBTQ rights.

LGBTQ march

Since it came to power in 2015, the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party has been eroding democracy and attacking human rights.

people-holding-the-rainbow-flag

Same-sex relationships are not legally recognized in Poland, which is predominantly Catholic.

people joining the LGBTQ march

In recent years, with the government’s support, more than 90 regions in Poland declared themselves to be “LGBT-free” zones – areas that are unwelcoming of “LGBTQ ideology”.

people marching on the streets

And in 2021, the government announced a new law that banned same-sex couples from adopting children.

people supporting the LGBTQ march

LGBT rights in Poland is now one of the worst in European Union countries, according to the 2021 report by ILGA-Europe, a leading LGBTQ advocacy group.

poland lgbt pride protest law justice 2023

On Sunday June 17, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the capital of Warsaw to demand equality for LGBTQ people.

Speaking at the parade, the mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, who comes from the liberal opposition party called for a Poland where everyone would be safe.

pride month march participants

“We want to show that today diversity, minority rights means [a] Europe that is open, Europe that is tolerant,” Trzaskowski said before the march.

The US Ambassador to Poland and Anne Hidalgo, the feminist mayor of Paris, who was fined for appointing too many women to her government.

rainbow flag

“We will not let ourselves be influenced by those who want to extinguish women’s rights, minority rights, LGBT rights, and today, I want to say to you that in Paris just as in Warsaw, we are also totally in solidarity and engaged with you for the rights of transgender people,” Hidalgo said.

The demonstration comes just weeks after half a million people in Poland held an unprecedented protest against the Law and Justice party.

a sign writing two moms no daddy issues

The protest was the biggest demonstration the country has seen since the fall of communism in 1989.

The Law and Justice party is seeking re-election in November 2023.

More On Poland

This Woman In Poland Died After She Was Denied An Abortion And People Are Protesting
Poland’s Huge, Unprecedented Anti-Government Protests, Explained
This Polish Woman Activist Has Been Sentenced For Helping Another Woman Get Abortion Pills

Read more