5 ms·

I've only skimmed a few articles about the issue, but it seems like this isn't just a matter of a handful of municipalities acting independently, but rather tho

I've only skimmed a few articles about the issue, but it seems like this isn't just a matter of a handful of municipalities acting independently, but rather those declarations are tied into a broader push by the national ruling party to make LGBT people its political bogeyman du jour. Politicians have made a bunch of statements to the effect that LGBT is a foreign ideology that seeks to sexualize children and represents a threat to Polish identity.

jacekm 7y ago
Polish person here. Yes, the ruling party caters to ultra-catholic, right-winged people. While there are many people in Poland who don't understand LGBT and are therefore scared of it, they are a minority. We have a trans woman in parliament and a gay guy running for presidency. It's not that bad really. Moreover, Gdańsk, where the conference was supposed to take place is actually one of the most tolerant and liberal cities in Poland with very open-minded people. It would be a shame to punish them for actions of the government and municipalities that are literally on the other side of the country.
- ginko 7y ago
  It also seems exactly like what these ultra-conservatives would want: Keep LGBT people outside of Poland.
- djsumdog 7y ago
  Thanks for that insight. It seems sad to be fearful of an entire country because of a few municipalities; especially when you say there are minorities represented in government. All over Europe, there are a lot of people who have varying opinions about immigration, refugees, LGBT-rights, Brexit, climate change and other controversial subjects. Rejecting an entire nation as a conference location because some percentage of the population has gotten some press for their controversial opinion seems very reactionary.
- youdontknowtho 7y ago
  Right, but the loss of revenue from conference attendees is something that can be used as leverage against the politicians. The same thing was done in the US to push back on anti-lgbt laws. It has had some successes. It's not perfect but it has its purposes.
DyslexicAtheist 7y ago
Poland is hard-core Catholic, same as Italy, Austria, Croatia, and a few others. They are conservative to the core. Trying to lecture a Catholic about anything that has to do with sex, doesn't go down well. I've been living in Eastern EU (including Poland) for the past 5 years (I myself am from the West of EU). All of the former soviet block has a problem with homophobia. As much as I love the people and enjoy my time here, there is no way in hell I would want to be here as an openly gay person. At best you'd get beaten after leaving a club at worst you end up knifed. Young people are a lot better in this regard but people at my age (those who lived through the iron curtain) would never support LGBT. They see it as an attack on their identity and culture. Poland is also deeply divided - much more so than Germany or France. The only place I know which has more racism than the Eastern EU and which is also more divided is Britain.
- ginko 7y ago
  Listing Austria, the country that has been hosting the Life Ball for almost 3 decades by now in your list doesn't exactly strengthen your argument.
  - wink 7y ago
    You might be confusing the really liberal city of Vienna with the rest of Austria, which is -in big parts- very different, less open, and to a large degree support the FPÖ party.
  - DyslexicAtheist 7y ago
    go to the rural places in Carinthia, Styria (I recommend a dying town such as Eisenerz) which will probably change your mind.
    - ginko 7y ago
      Is there any country where that(more liberal city, more conservative countryside) isn't the case though?
      - 7y ago
brabel 7y ago
> LGBT is a foreign ideology that seeks to sexualize children and represents a threat to Polish identity. Oh, wow, the exact same argument used in Russia! Why the hell they bring children into it? Makes no sense!?
- rsynnott 7y ago
  The Thatcher government used essentially the same argument, though they were a little more subtle about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 They bring children into it because it makes the argument to discriminate more convincing to stupid people.
zozbot234 7y ago
> Politicians have made a bunch of statements to the effect that LGBT is a foreign ideology You can thank the radical left and their very real gender-based ideology for that development - they just gave bigoted politicians everywhere a handy excuse to attack basic freedom of association. Genius of them, really.

jacekm 7y ago

Polish person here. Yes, the ruling party caters to ultra-catholic, right-winged people. While there are many people in Poland who don't understand LGBT and are therefore scared of it, they are a minority. We have a trans woman in parliament and a gay guy running for presidency. It's not that bad really. Moreover, Gdańsk, where the conference was supposed to take place is actually one of the most tolerant and liberal cities in Poland with very open-minded people. It would be a shame to punish them for actions of the government and municipalities that are literally on the other side of the country.

ginko 7y ago
It also seems exactly like what these ultra-conservatives would want: Keep LGBT people outside of Poland.
djsumdog 7y ago
Thanks for that insight. It seems sad to be fearful of an entire country because of a few municipalities; especially when you say there are minorities represented in government. All over Europe, there are a lot of people who have varying opinions about immigration, refugees, LGBT-rights, Brexit, climate change and other controversial subjects. Rejecting an entire nation as a conference location because some percentage of the population has gotten some press for their controversial opinion seems very reactionary.
youdontknowtho 7y ago
Right, but the loss of revenue from conference attendees is something that can be used as leverage against the politicians. The same thing was done in the US to push back on anti-lgbt laws. It has had some successes. It's not perfect but it has its purposes.

DyslexicAtheist 7y ago

Poland is hard-core Catholic, same as Italy, Austria, Croatia, and a few others. They are conservative to the core. Trying to lecture a Catholic about anything that has to do with sex, doesn't go down well. I've been living in Eastern EU (including Poland) for the past 5 years (I myself am from the West of EU). All of the former soviet block has a problem with homophobia. As much as I love the people and enjoy my time here, there is no way in hell I would want to be here as an openly gay person. At best you'd get beaten after leaving a club at worst you end up knifed. Young people are a lot better in this regard but people at my age (those who lived through the iron curtain) would never support LGBT. They see it as an attack on their identity and culture. Poland is also deeply divided - much more so than Germany or France. The only place I know which has more racism than the Eastern EU and which is also more divided is Britain.

ginko 7y ago
Listing Austria, the country that has been hosting the Life Ball for almost 3 decades by now in your list doesn't exactly strengthen your argument.
- wink 7y ago
  You might be confusing the really liberal city of Vienna with the rest of Austria, which is -in big parts- very different, less open, and to a large degree support the FPÖ party.
- DyslexicAtheist 7y ago
  go to the rural places in Carinthia, Styria (I recommend a dying town such as Eisenerz) which will probably change your mind.
  - ginko 7y ago
    Is there any country where that(more liberal city, more conservative countryside) isn't the case though?
    - 7y ago

brabel 7y ago

> LGBT is a foreign ideology that seeks to sexualize children and represents a threat to Polish identity. Oh, wow, the exact same argument used in Russia! Why the hell they bring children into it? Makes no sense!?

rsynnott 7y ago
The Thatcher government used essentially the same argument, though they were a little more subtle about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 They bring children into it because it makes the argument to discriminate more convincing to stupid people.

zozbot234 7y ago

> Politicians have made a bunch of statements to the effect that LGBT is a foreign ideology You can thank the radical left and their very real gender-based ideology for that development - they just gave bigoted politicians everywhere a handy excuse to attack basic freedom of association. Genius of them, really.