Hey Bert,
Very nice of you to post the introductory e-mail on the log, and to say a few things about yourself.
I don’t mind if you publish this one too, so go ahead!
(Sorry if my reply will be a litte chaotic. I’ll just type and send it straight away, as I have to run to classes.)
Upon your request, I posted your e-mail on our KPH discussion group.
I noticed on your blog you said you didn’t know anything about me – I’m a student at UMK in Toruń.
I joined the Campaign Against Homophobia in February 2006.
What is more, you can link to a collective blog I participate in: www.polandian.wordpress.com
(To show another face of Poland, not only related to LGBT emancipation…)
Similarly to you, I have no faith either. This subject doesn’t exist for me. I was a bit surprised you raised it.
(In fact I’m a Richard Dawkins fan).
The thing with religion is that you can justify anything with it.
If you want to be hateful, you can find quotes to support it.
If you want to make peace, you can find appropriate quotes too.
If someone says they have a direct phoneline with God, and other people listen to them… that’s massive power.
I noticed that some foreign people anticipate the situation in Poland is worse than it actually is.
What I can say, is that it’s most similar to the USA.
In that half of the population are bigots, and half are accepting.
There are more similarities with the USA. We have hate-spreading televangelist influencing the masses too, and we have openminded cities and narrowminded suburbs and provinces.
One thing you wrote surprised me a bit. You said something like: entering Poland is like entering a world that is not mine.
Well, Poland does have it’s own unique qualities, but it is in my opinion compalitble with the rest of Europe. Both our countries, although there are many differences between them, belong to the Western Civilisation and there is more that links us then divides us.
I remember watching a documentary about gay people in Britain in the early 80′s.
I was shocked with the language that the media used to talk about them, shocked with the attitude of the general public of that time. It was all much more anti-gay than Poland now. But there was also a very active gay rights movement. It made me realise how many things have changed there, and how fast it all changed. Isn’t it similar in The Netherlands? You weren’t always where you are now…
Situation in Poland is different than Holland, as the cultural situation was a bit different. For the starters Poland was cut off from the mainstream World culture, and an open debate, during the communism – and missed many importaint points there.
Countries like Holland are now far away with emancipation.
By the way, homophobes in Poland would use the example of Holland and say something like “Now they say they want acceptance, but later they will end up like in Holland!!” :D
The biggest difference is that in Poland more of less everyone is OK with homosexuality, when it is concealed and privatised.
Even the extreme-right won’t have anything to say.
It’s when gays come out and want to take their place in the public debate, in the public sphere – it’s regarded as a threat to the order of things. A threat to family, a threat to the Polish myths, to decency, to “good old ways”.
Second important thing is the fact that gay people prefer to realise themselves at work or in business then to engage in gay emancipation campaigns.
Social activism is generally not very popular at the moment in Poland.
Everyone thinks: someone else will do it for me.
I can’t remember a situation when someone was openly attacked because of their sexual orientation, when it was kept private. It’s rare to be open with feelings and especially aggression in Poland (unless you’re anonymous in an Internet forum). Basic “weapons” of homophobes could be gossip and/or unfriendliness, but rarely someone would say something straight to your face.
I had a look at your blog, with the help of google translator.
I think there is some mistake. Two years ago there was no violence on Warsaw Pride. I was there. There were thousands of LGBTs and friends, also from other countries, and only handful of opponents. There was plenty of police. It was very very safe. After the demonstration we walked next to some people with anti-gay t-shirts, there was no police near by at the moment, and nothing happened.
Warsaw Pride is actually very safe and fun. Not simmilar to western prides, as it’s more political (called Equality March in Polish), so no half-naked muscular guys in leather strings…
It’s fun and a really great feeling to walk the streets with thousands of like-minded people. There’s more of them every year… You can feel your work during the year was not wasted, that the movement is growing, that bit by bit we’re gaining a platform for ourselves. Although there is still a long way to go.
I am looking forward to the Warsaw Pride. Don’t worry!
But if you’re afraid, or you feel it’s not your kind of thing, you don’t have to go.
Or you could take your “Press” jacket and talk to Polish journalists reporting on the event…
You might mistake Warsaw Pride with Krakow Pride. There are some incidents in Krakow every year, the police there can’t seem to be able to be at the control of things. There are more opponents there, and less LGBTs. It’s a smaller event. Warsaw is huge.
Did you already read the report on the situation of LGBT people doing research before Poland? Check this.
Looking forward to meet you and Adinda,
Pawel.
08-07-08 | De christelijke
