Poland’s Anti-LGBT Hate Timeline

Over the past number of years, LGBTI people have come under increasing attack from ruling politicians, religious leaders and other public figures in Poland. This has come in the form of dangerous and false framing of LGBTI people as a threat to children, and as a threat to Christianity.

We have created and will be updating this abbreviated timeline of what’s been happening over the past two years with the rise of official homophobia and transphobia.

See also

News

Joint statement: Welcoming European Court judgement on Poland’s failure to protect same-sex couples married abroad

The European Court of Human Rights has found that Poland breached the right to respect for the family life of two same-sex Polish couples married […]
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Blog

LGBTI activism in the new far-right era

Activists in the Balkans, Greece, Italy and Poland talk about the shared challenges across Europe as the far-right continues to gain ground. As the far-right […]
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News

Trans woman should have been allowed access to hormone therapy in prison, says European Court

The European Court of Human Rights has found that Poland violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, protecting the right to private […]
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Press Release

Alarming surge in transphobic speech across Europe sparks concern for EU elections

Ahead of the EU Elections next June, a new report shows a stark rise in anti-LGBTI, and in particular, transphobic statements from politicians across Europe. […]
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Report

Our submission to the EC 2024 Rule of Law report

Over the past few years it has become increasingly clear that many government-led violations of LGBTI rights in EU Member States go hand-in-hand with an […]
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News

Poland must ensure that same-sex couples are legally recognised, European Court rules

The European Court of Human Rights has issued a judgement against Poland in a case taken by five same-sex couples in the country, seeking to […]
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News

Bringing change in turbulent times: A call for applications for LGBTI groups in Poland

What is this programme about and why are we launching it? ILGA-Europe invites applications from LGBTI organisations and groups in Poland that see a concrete […]
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Report

Our submission to the EC 2023 Rule of Law report

The submission covers developments in eight EU Member States as regards rule of law developments in the countries which have had an impact on the […]
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News

After Polish Case, CJEU Rules to Protect Self-employed Workers based on Sexual Orientation

In December 2017, a self-employed worker and his partner published a music video on YouTube aimed at promoting tolerance towards same-sex couples. Shortly after the […]
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Blog

#TDoR2022: Two more European countries added to annual report on trans murders

This year, for the first time, Estonia and Switzerland reported the murders of trans people. In total, 2022 saw 327 reported murders of trans and gender-diverse people in the world as a result of anti-trans violence, according to TGEU’s Trans Murder Monitoring. Although TGEU has been collecting information since 2008, most trans murders still go under-reported.
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News

Sexual orientation is not a reason to terminate a contract with a self-employed worker, says Advocate General of the CJEU

Today, the Advocate General of the CJEU has issued an opinion in the case of J.K. vs the Polish public broadcaster company TP, stating that discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment is not acceptable under EU law.
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News

Rainbow families have the right to move and reside freely, EU court reiterates

The Court of Justice of the EU has stated that birth certificates issued in an EU country must be recognised across the EU, and that EU countries should protect the freedom of movement of rainbow families.
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News

Polish public broadcaster TP in EU Court for Discrimination Against Self-employed LGBTI Person

Today, the case of J.K. vs the Polish public broadcasting company TP, in which the applicant is seeking compensation for the discontinuation of his freelance […]
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News

European Commission and Council should refrain from approving recovery funds to the governments of Poland and Hungary

An Urgent call on the European Commission and the Council of europe to refrain from approving recovery funds to the governments of Poland and Hungary, […]
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News

EU Ministers must act on the serious breach of EU’s rule of law and values in Poland

While Poland keeps attacking LGBTI people and their rights, ILGA-Europe have signed a joint letter along with 86 other NGOs asking EU Ministers to take action.
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Report

Our submission to the EC 2022 Rule of Law Report

Expert contributions were provided by organisations PROUD (Czech Republic), LGBT komiteen (Denmark), Inter-LGBT (France), Háttér Társaság (Hungary), KPH & Atlas of Hate (Poland), ACCEPT (Romania), […]
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Blog

What has 2021 meant to the LGBTI movement in Europe? Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out this year’s highlights

As 2021 comes to an end, we have collected some of the moments, events and trends that have marked the year in the latest episode of The Frontline, ILGA-Europe’s podcast about LGBTI activism and lives in Europe and Central Asia. Read here some of the episode’s highlights and find out reasons to stay hopeful in 2022.
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Blog

Say Their Names: The trans and gender diverse people whose murders were reported in Europe and Central Asia last year

The murders of 375 trans and gender-diverse people were reported between October 2020 and September 2021, according to the latest Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) update, and 2021 is set to be the deadliest year for trans communities since TGEU began collecting data. We say the names of those whose lives were cut short in our region, with a view towards a world where all trans people can live in equality, freedom and peace.
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Report

Poland Anti-LGBTI Hate Timeline

Over the past number of years, LGBTI people have come under increasing attack from ruling politicians, religious leaders and other public figures in Poland. This […]
read more
News

European Court rules in favour of the best interest of the child in same-sex custody case

The European Court of Human rights has ruled that the refusing a mother custody of her youngest child on the grounds of her sexual orientation to be discriminatory and a violation of her right to private and family life.
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Podcast

The frontline: Queer and the Media: with Ben Hunte

Ben Hunt’s first year on the job as BBC LGBT Correspondent* has been an unprecedented one, with the rise of anti-LGBT hatred in Europe, marked […]
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Press Release

With today’s infringements the EU has clarified that member states can no longer act against human rights with impunity

According to ILGA-Europe, the infringement procedures announced by the European Commission today show that the EU has come to a tipping point; after years of […]
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News

After a week of long-awaited statements and letters from EU leaders castigating the implementation of anti-LGBTI legislation in Hungary, ILGA-Europe will continue working with the institutions so that words can be translated into real action

In the light of increasing attacks on LGBTI rights, stagnation of legal progress and clear lack of implementation of the rights of LGBTI people in […]
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News

Is The EU an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone? 

The ambition is right, but the reality is very different, says leading European LGBTI rights organisation
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Blog

LGBTI activists create a Twitter storm for EU infringement procedures against Poland over so called ‘LGBT-free Zones’

ILGA-Europe launched an-hour long Twitter Storm demonstration on February 11, calling on the European Commission to take infringement procedures against Poland, making the Polish-based hashtag #infringementNOW trend
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News

Help us create a Twitter Storm calling on the European Commission to hold Poland to account for its treatment of LGBTI people!

On Feb 11, as the current KPH campaign draws to an end, we would like to create a Twitter storm to get the hashtag #infringementNow trending, asking why the EU Commission has not taken infringement procedures against Poland yet. Here is how you can help create this important moment.
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Press Release

Poland: All charges against LGBTI rights defenders charged for peaceful activism must be dropped, say Human Rights NGOs

The trial of three women accused of “offending religious beliefs” will take place, tomorrow on January 13 in Plock, Poland. The activists face up to two years in prison for disseminating posters of the Virgin Mary with a rainbow halo symbolic of the LGBTI flag. Six international human rights NGOs are calling for all charges to be dropped, and for the Polish authorities to amend their legislation and bring it in line with international and regional human rights standards. 
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Blog

Trans Day of Remembrance 2020: Honoring the 350 lives cut short this year

Every November 20, on Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR), we remember those whose lives have been taken away through transphobic violence. This year’s Trans Murder Monitoring report from Transgender Europe shows the highest number of annual killings since the report was first published 12 years ago.
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News

Poland: Drop charges against women rights defenders

NGOs call to drop unfounded charges for peaceful activism.
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News

Joint letter on Poland to Commission President von der Leyen

Following her State of the European Union speech, with KPH and Fundacja Równo?ci we wrote a letter to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 
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