The first Congress in the new reality following the October 15 elections was, in a sense, a congress summing up eight years of discrimination against and targeting of LGBT+ people in Poland. In this changed reality, people with minority sexual orientations and their allies are a political force in local government elections and a strong voice in democratic Poland.
– In the context of talking with politicians and entering into relationships with them, we must determine what we want. We must also set clear boundaries in these relationships, said Mateusz Kaczmarek-Brzozowski of the Stonewall Group from Poznań. – Many people do not think of themselves as advocates. We need to realize not only what our goals are, but also how we can achieve them. In addition to our target group, we will find many groups, including political ones, that can help us. These include politicians, the media, influencers and LGBT+ people, Mateusz Kaczmarek added.
The Marching Cities Coalition is an organization bringing together LGBT+ people and allies who organize marches in their local communities in support of the equal rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The people forming the Coalition share the belief that building a common voice across divisions, particularly one that takes into account the situation of LGBT+ people outside the largest urban centers, is a real step toward achieving equality in Poland.
