Brody's Notes... Love Does Not Exclude - Next Steps & First Obstacle

By Wojciech Szot (Warsaw, Poland) DEC 13 | The Polish campaign for same-sex civil partnerships- "Love Does Not Exclude," which started in November in the Polish capital city of Warsaw and the city of Łódź, will be continued in smaller cities and towns around Poland. The locations are being selected by Internet users, and campaign organisers tailor the advertising presentation for each city individually. 

Unfortunately already in the first location, the town of Inowroclaw in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, the campaign has already encountered an obstacle. The owner of the advertising media company for that city's municipal bus fleet refused to sell the advertising space for the campaign, explaining: 

"Our company will never consent to publish any controversial posters, be they about love that doesn't exclude or about escort agencies."

Campaign organisers hope this will prove to be an exceptional situation, but on the other hand are aware that such a reaction may happen again. In larger Polish cities tolerance and understanding for LGBT rights are rather widespread, and political correctness seems well grounded; in smaller cities and towns, however, LGBT persons often face homophobia. Organisers are therefore convinced that this is precisely where the campaign should be visible, to communicate with the straight majority – but also to tell young LGBT persons that they are not alone.

Poland has 16 administrative regions and over the next 16 months, campaign staff plan to visit at least one town in each of them.

Demonstration for Same-Sex Equality Rights In Warsaw, Poland  Photo By Wojciech Szot

This past 20th November – one day before local government elections – a demonstration was organised in front of Warsaw University as part of the campaign. At the most popular weekend public venue in the capital, the ancient Warsaw City Gate, participants spoke about same-sex partnerships and displayed a huge banner saying "We demand civil partnership law".
Campaign staff plan to organise such events from time to time to demand the introduction of the law on same-sex partnerships but note that unfortunately, politicians' interest in the matter is scarce, but, hope this may change with the coming parliamentary elections.