Anti-LGBT Bill Proposed to Polish Parliament
A Citizen's Legislative Initiative Bill in Poland, entitled "Stop LGBT" has gathered over 200,000 signatures and must now be read in the Polish Parliament within the next 3 months, according to legal procedure.
If passed, the Bill would ban Pride Parades (known as "Equality Marches"), and any other events or gatherings which promote non-heterosexual orientations and gender identities. The Bill, created by the Life and Family Foundation and submitted to the Citizen's Legislative Initiative, a mechanism to allow the people to create law, comes at a time of renewed anti-LGBT+ campaigns by the ruling Law and Justice party. The Government's efforts have earnt them the spot as the worst country in the EU for LGBT+ people in terms of their rights and the social climate.
At length, the Bill seeks to ban gatherings that promote "sexual orientations other than heterosexuality", "the idea of non-biological gender", "same-sex marriage or civic partnership", or "LGBT+ adoption". Much like anti-LGBT propaganda laws in Russia, the Bill also stipulates a ban on assemblies which "violate public morality, including in particular those that may morally corrupt children or youths".
Behind the Bill is the ultra-conservative organisation, the Life and Family Foundation, which has made headlines before for its staunch opposition to abortion, which culminated in massive protests by women across Poland this year and in years previous. Its members have stood for far-right parties in Parliament, including Confederation, whose members include famous anti-LGBT politician Janusz Korwin-MIkke, who promised he would "ban LGBT". Of this Bill, leading party members said that it would "Bring an end to the promotion of deviancy under the protection of the Polish police".
This comes at a time of renewed conflict between far-right politicians and hardline religious opposition against the LGBT+ community in Poland, with many religious figures helping to gather signatures and support for the movement despite recent comments by Pope Francis I in support of civil partnerships for LGBT+ couples. Government Party LAw and Justice have not yet come out to support the bill, however, with leading politician Radoslaw Fogiel telling reporters that "[He] cannot imagine how the law would be formulated so that it would not violate the constitution". There are also concerns that the EU could intervene to uphold EU Law that recognises and protects LGBT+ people from discrimination, and that this law may fall foul of such regulations.
Read related myGwork articles here:
A Country Divided by Violent Politics: LGBTQ+ Rights in Poland
Polish MPs Dress In Rainbow Colours In Silent Protest At President’s Inaguration
EU Blocks Funding For Towns Declaring Themselves “LGBT-Free Zones”
Polish Minister Wants Country To Be LGBT-Free Zone
Polish Courts Annul LGBT+ ‘Free Zones’, Finds Them Unconstitutional
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