Sexuality is not a private thing!

by Wianek

This post was written by my friend Wianek (I only translated it), who will probably become the co-author of this blog.

Actually, I just wanted to comment on the previous post, but my thoughts had grown so much that I decided to pay the duty I promised when I was drunk and write a coherent text, even if it’s only a long comment.

A gay is a human like everyone else and I don’t care what he’s doing in his bedroom. Nice, isn’t it? Internet fora are full of similar statements. It’s even trendy to have such modern opinions. But I do care. I’ve been raised in a conviction that Romeo fucked Juliet, Tristan fucked Iseult and Petrarca wrote his poems to Laura, not to, let’s say, John. I have this problem that I’m just not able to put another Romeo in place of Juliet and I think I’m not the only one. All these attempts to show a couple of perfect gays in a way invented by heterosexual majority (vide Brokeback Mountain) just make me laugh. There’s no male Juliet, Iseult or Laura.

I’m not trying to prove that homosexuality is contrary to culture. I’m more interested, why homosexuals seek acceptance by following the heterosexual myths of love. I wonder, why two gays try to form a couple matching the cultural pattern: mum, dad, dog and some fucking pots on a white fence. Why not create something new, something based on different values?

There is something called fagness; but we all know this soft wrist syndrome, kettle posture and all these manners of a bent fag. We often call it effeminacy, but it’s bullshit, because not any chick behaves this way. It’s not male Juliet, it’s rather a parody of Juliet, it’s a new interpretation of a heterosexual myth.

Fagness is not effeminacy, it’s a cultural guerrilla warfare, which casts doubt on our everyday division into male and female; it’s a question about the essence of masculinity and femininity. It’s not about accepting homosexuals and finding them a new place among our myths. We should rather allow them to create their new mythology, from which, I hope, we all can learn a thing or two.

Heterosexual Wianek, who watches homikus being more and more bent.

gay culture: visions of

I am definitely a heterosexual, who recently cured myself of homophobia and it was right after a long conversation with a couple of Irish gay guys in a pub (Irish, of course) over coffee and cigarettes. I have never been too anti, but before there had been some things always irritating me, that is this appearance, common among gay guys (not only, though), expressed in their gestures, walk etc., which me and my friends used to call briefly: fagness. And that Irish gay couple was evidently faggy. I think that thanks to that beer we were drinking together as well as that chitchat about everything (history of Ireland and Poland for example, also about gays) I got used to it and it no longer irritates me.

I’m not going to become a supporter or an activist of gay movements, of course. It makes me laugh when someone sometimes backs his artistic or intellectual mediocrity with his sexual orientation (and I know such persons), or something of which I once heard in TOK FM radio station and called gay culture. I think that sexual orientation is a private thing of every one of us. Of course in Poland it is not, it’s a taboo and the orientation other than heterosexual is a perversion and a sin.

MacKozer

The above part of MacKozer’s (the author of MacKozer: in my perspective) post resulted in a discussion between me and him (Geje na stos czyli wynurzenia klechy), which I find so interesting that I decided to publish it here. Especially that it is still open and in my idealistic visions there’s still plenty of place for the continuation in some bigger circle of Visitors. Or even more especially that I’m going to write another post in this subject soon. Enjoy!

homikus: You say: It makes me laugh when someone sometimes backs his artistic or intellectual mediocrity with his sexual orientation (and I know such persons), or something of which I once heard in TOK FM radio station and called gay culture.
Makes laugh or not, but it’s certainly nothing good. It creates borderlines, new categories, which should rather be got rid of and not created… I don’t like it either. Nay! A friend told me once about a student of the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, who, being a heterosexual, poses as a gay guy for the purposes you write about… And this is nonsense.
But gay culture, well, it’s something else. It could include for example not the homosexuals’ artistic work, but simply this where homosexuality is a subject matter etc. In this case the term gay culture has a completely new meaning, much more sensible and logical.

MacKozer: As for the gay culture. For me it’s a artificial thing in so far as I just assume that sexuality is a private thing in the sense of normality. Whether someone is hetero- or homosexual - this is not a taboo or something to hide, but there’s also nothing to emphasize. In my ideal vision of normality the sexual orientation should not be a reason for building a ghetto nor for rejection or elitism.
I understand that for example a movie about homosexual couples, whether we like it or not, is also about their problems in a clash with patriarchal heterosexual culture of the Christian Europe and in this sense it can be described as a part of gay culture. Nevertheless in my opinion homosexuality is a part of our reality and culture. I think that if the walls of taboo finally fell down and people got used to every kind of diversity, this gay culture would automatically vanish.
And as for this getting used to every kind of diversity. I think that people are subconsciously terribly afraid of anything different. Otherness, which shatters people’s habits and deprives them of their constant solid vision of reality, is always considered as something abnormal. Unfortunately, this is just instilled into us along with the education in such a monolithic society.
Even myself, when I see a black man or a disabled person, somewhere deep in my mind I feel uncomfortable in a presence of otherness. Before that evening when I had a great time with that Irish gay couple over beer and cigarettes gays had been no exception.

homikus: Right. That’s exactly what I meant by borderlines. You say about movies about homosexuals clashing with the reality as it is. These are most widely known, because they have something to tell, a problem (which is real) to be brought to people’s attention, an attitude to be changed. But it’s only a part. There are movies about gays and lesbians, in which there’s no reference to heteronormativity or homophobia. They just are and just like hundreds of stories of love between a woman and a man there are simple, happy and optimistic stories of homosexual love. Same with comedies, drama films, erotic films and any other. But in 99% of cases these movies are not completely unknown here in Poland. This kind of cinema, free from emphasizing homophobia etc., is what I was talking about.
As for getting used to changes - well, unfortunately you’re right. Especially today when the progress in every area is so rapid that breakthroughs are not like one for a few generations, but like one generation for a few breakthroughs. Fear is, to some extent, understandable. There are changes in people’s mentality, but they are disproportionately slow. Future generations, already used to this rush and raised in it, will probably be different. That’s what it looks like for me, when I put my parents’ generation by myself, my friends and people whom I constantly spend my time with.
I am a little bit different case, perhaps. I spent a whole year in China, surrounded by foreignness and otherness in almost every aspect and almost everywhere. And this really broadens horizons and makes open to the world. Maybe because of that I have a rather twisted attitude and maybe I expect too much from people, of whom the majority haven’t ever had this chance and for them the height of cultural diversity is just someone with red-coloured hair or pierced tongue. They just think in categories not as wide as it is necessary today. And this is not an offence or an accusation of backwardness. The normal course of events.

MacKozer: Homikus, about the gay culture - I understand your point of view. But in my opinion all these gay movies about loving couples, all these gay drama films, comedies or erotic films are already a part of our culture and I think that sooner or later (but probably after we’re gone) they will be treated in this way, because that’s what they should be treated like.
In some countries I already observe this trend to show gays not as some kind of curiosity making the movie more colourful, but as a normal, natural part of a society. Those are maybe not gay themed movies, but the motif of homosexuality occurs just like any other. Let’s take as an example the last Czech comedy I’ve seen, Účastníci zájezdu (Holiday Makers). This is the first movie aimed at mass audience, in which gays aren’t showed as aliens from Mars. But I think this is characteristic for the Czech cinema in general (I’m a great fan of Czech cinema and culture).
When the walls of taboo finally fall down, the movies you mention will come out from the background and become a rightful part of our culture.

homikus: Hmm, having thought about it I must say that you’re right. But there’s one problem. Even in the West, so progressive when it comes to the attitude towards sexual orientation, it still is a social problem. Not that big maybe, but still is. Because this ideal situation you’re talking about is just sheer Utopia.
For it to arise many world views should first go out of date… Unfortunately, extremely popular world views. For example, in the Christianity damnation of homosexuality is unavoidable, the Bible says this or that, and that’s that. It’s not a matter of changing the ideological line of churches or a matter of decisions, regulations.
And because the conservative circles are almost always, more or less, connected with the Christianity, the problem will not disappear. ‘Cause on Christianity stands the world! :)
How different it was in ancient Greece, for instance. If it wasn’t for the burden of the Christian heritage, which is so hard to free ourselves of, a simple thought about two guys wouldn’t arouse any disgust in a heterosexual man, but only indifference. Abomination, which homosexual relationships are considered to be, has been instilled just by Christianity.
That’s why some boundaries, borderlines, some division will probably last for a long time, still. There will always be a huge group of people, who will fight gays and lesbians on ideological, religious or any other grounds.
Well, OK, someone could say it’s quite normal that from the dawn of ages there have always been opposite and clashing points of view, there have always been things some people like and other dislike. But we are not talking about two equivalent views. We’re talking about some elementary rights of a human being, rights limited in the name of ideologies, views or politics. And the latter are inferior to the first.
That’s why the situation is like it is, even in the West. The more rights homosexuals have and the more friendly the attitude to them is, the stronger and more aggressive gets the opposite option…

Warsaw Pride 2008, Equality Parade - impressions

Yesterday’s Equality Parade was the final point of last week’s Equality Days (with the slogan Live, Love, Be!) in Warsaw. Organizers assess the number of people who attended the Parade at 7-8 thousand, the police and mass media give the number of only 2 thousand. The truth lies somewhere in between and whether it’s many or not - that’s a relative thing. But one thing is certain, there were much fewer people than at the memorable year 2005 Parade, which was banned by former Warsaw’s mayor, Lech Kaczyński. Nevertheless, I was impressed. This was the first time I’ve attended the Equality Parade (last year I was still in China at that time; before - I’d better not mention) and in my own opinion, which knows only such expressions as many, few, I don’t know and something about that, it was a crowd.

On my way to the Parade’s meeting point at the Bank Square I heard a few brilliant provocative things, such as hey look! there’s one of them! ha, ha, ha!, but as soon as I got there, a slight depression suddenly vanished, making room for some much more pleasant feelings. The Parade, of course, started a little later than it had been planned to. At the beginning I wanted to march all the way, but a strong group of my lesbian friends was so keen on getting on one of the platforms that I just had to yield. Well, it turned out to be a great idea, it was really fun there! Besides, it was an excellent lookout.

And there was much to look at, most of which really surprised me. Firstly - the opposition, countermanifestation of small groups of sharp-witted youngsters from National Radical Camp was so small and stifled by the police, that they looked just pathetic and made a bunch of disgraced fools of themselves. The first group, one of the biggest ones, had gathered at the Bank Square long before the Parade set off. Then, here and there throughout the whole route, a few smaller groups were shouting something at as, but nobody actually knew what it was they were shouting. The only word to be distinguished, their favourite one, was definitely fags.

Secondly - Warsaw citizens’ reactions and attitude surpassed my expectations. There were families with children, there were young people and old people, there were foreigners. Some of them were just standing and observing, others were smiling, but many of of them were waving their hands cheerfully and greeting us. This was really nice and positive!

And because our reactions to them were very exuberant, the atmosphere was just wonderful! The sun, music, fun, lot of joy, colours and laugh. I know, I’m getting very excited, but I remind you that this was my first time. So no wonder :] The whole thing lasted about two hours. After we reached the Chancellery of Prime Minister there wasn’t much more going on, or at least I didn’t hear or see too much. Well, maybe besides Jacek Poniedziałek (an actor) giving us a few bottles of wine.

There weren’t too many politics at the Parade this time. Apart from very active Greens 2004, whom you can always count on, only Marek Borowski and his Social Democracy of Poland showed up with their own platform. This lack of political support resulted in our political postulates being barely noticed in all this fun and joy. Well, there are some advantages, though. The Parade finally takes a form of a happy event, which can be attractive also for the citizens, and not some kind of a march of intimidated people timidly demanding their rights to be respected. The bad thing is that what we still demand and can’t get moved into the background.

Oh, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes, the Rainbow flag was proudly flying over the British embassy. Thank you! It really meant much to all of us!

And now it’s time for some pictures. I haven’t made a single one, because there were much more interesting things to do, but thanks to others I can provide you with a decent set.

by homiki.pl:

by Lucyna Rozlatowska:

Guys from National Radical Camp. by Gocu:

See you next year! I just can’t wait :]

Rainbow British embassy

The British announced yesterday that on the occasion of today’s Warsaw Pride and in token of solidarity with the Polish LGBT community the British embassy in Warsaw will fly the Rainbow flag just next to the UK flag. Ambassador Ric Todd has raised the flag yesterday, i.e. on Friday, at 4 p.m. and it will fly over the embassy till Monday morning. Last week the embassy in Rigue did the same thing. It is common for the Rainbow flag to fly from municipal buildings to mark Pride or other events, but it is thought that last week (in Rigue) marked the first time a British embassy has displayed it.

The UK remains committed to promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people overseas.

- said Mr Todd.

This small gesture is a symbol of the British embassy’s commitment to equality and acceptance for all. This weekend’s Pride March will be a celebration of diversity in Poland, Europe and beyond.

The embassy’s initiative follows the issue of an LGBT Toolkit by The Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The document’s aim is to support LGBT rights movements in other countries and it’s been sent to 261 British embassies, high commissions and other diplomatic posts all over the world.

The FCO fully supports equality in the enjoyment of human rights and the inadmissibility of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.

The FCO should identify, with the support of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and international LGBT groups like the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), countries where support from Posts and The British Council would provide added value to equality and non-discrimination work.

Initial discussions with the TUC suggest that countries of particular concern include Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria, Uzbekistan and some of the new democracies of Eastern Europe. It’s only a small part, of course.

Human rights treaties do not specifically mention sexual orientation. However, the adjudicator bodies for the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights have both determined that discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is contrary to their respective treaties.

EU laws and policies include equality and non-discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. This involves working for this objective as part of the common foreign and security policy.

If you’re interested, feel free to download (pdf) FULL TEXT OF LGBT TOOLKIT.

How positive, isn’t it? But on the other hand - Poland calls itself an European country, by which I mean being a member of the UE. In many countries (eastern ones) Poland is perceived as this so called West. And? Obeying some elementary human rights in this country is for the others to care about. I’m surprised at the British initiative, very positively surprised, rising the Rainbow flag is a really wonderful gesture. It may be small for the Ambassador, but for me - quite the contrary. This LGBT Toolkit is also an exemplary thing, because if my own country is not able to ensure me a sense of dignity and safety, perhaps it would be better indeed, if someone else influenced the situation, otherwise I couldn’t wait until kingdom come.

source: PinkNews

Warsaw Equality Parade 2008

66% of the Poles say that gays and lesbians should have been forbidden to organize public demonstrations, 27% say they should have had this right. 66% think that the Poles’ attitude towards homosexuals is hostile, 25% - that it’s neutral and only 1% think that the attitude is friendly. 25% express the opinion that homosexual couples should have the right to show their lifestyle in public, 69% want them to stay invisible.

At the same time, only 15% of respondents admit that they know someone who is gay personally! And these are mostly citizens of some big cities. Young ones. Well, it’s hard to underestimate their level of education - better educated Poles more often consider homosexuality a totally normal thing, but it’s poor 8% in general.

31% of respondents say that the best thing to do was to eliminate all the homosexuals. 41% support legal civil unions of gays and lesbians, 48% are against. But if you call it a marriage, this support suddenly drops down to poor 18%, and objection rises to 76%.

Only 6% of the Poles say that gays and lesbians deserved the right to adopt children, 90% absolutely objects to it.

Besides, my fellow citizens would like to interfere also in our private lives. 37% of the society want us to be forbidden to fuck in our own homes, as many generously allow us these perversions.

The research carried out by CBOS (Centre for Public Opinion Research - one of the biggest and most important public opinion research institutions) between 9 and 12 May 2008 on a representative group of 1116 adult Polish citizens.

In connection with everything above mentioned - if this statistical data makes your blood boil, if you’d like to, nay!, if you feel you have to!, take part in tomorrow’s Equality Parade in Warsaw (I doubt if anyone of you is in Warsaw now, but what the hell, coincidences do happen :]), and if you still haven’t found a proper info, here you have.

MEETING: Bank Square, about 1:30 p.m.

TRANSPORT: to the Bank Square

• subway - Ratusz Arsenał station,
• tramways - 4, 13, 18, 23, 26, 32, 35, 36,
• buses - 107, 111, 127 (from the Central Railway Station), 171, 190, 520, 522.

START: 2:00 p.m.

The route:

See you tomorrow!

source: gejowo.pl

Konrad and Paul

Konrad and Paul is a comic book, in which everything is put straight - crude humour, brilliant observations concerning characters’ every day and sexual life. Bad for them that they’re gay, because everyone will pay attention to their bed adventures and these are rather occasional… Sure, they talk about sex quite often (especially one of them), but this makes the comics even more funny.

What’s so shocking about this comic? When I hear such opinions, I sometimes feel as if I had gone back in time. In the West it really doesn’t shock anyone any more, we have to get through with this hypocrisy which dominates here in Poland - fags do exist, whether anybody likes it or not.

Wojtek Szot, abiekt.pl

Yesterday in Luna Cinema, just before the Warsaw Equality Days opening ceremony, an official Polish premiere of Ralf König’s comic book Konrad and Paul was held. König, born in 1960, is one of the best known and most commercially successful German comic book creators, his works have been translated into fourteen languages. In 1979 he experienced his coming out as a gay man and about that time he started to publish some short comic stories. Despite the work’s consistent gay culture setting, he gained great popularity among heterosexual readers. Most frequently, his work portrays daily routines of gay life, often based on his own and friends’ personal experiences. König tries to eliminate all the prejudice against gays and lesbians, by which he contributed significantly to the progress of social liberalization.

Konrad and Paul first appeared in 1990 in Magnus magazine, they’ve been a couple for 15 years already (first edition in 1993). It’s the first gay themed comic book in Poland. This kind of work has never been taken into consideration by Polish publishers. It surprises, because of its great popularity in the West, but is also understandable, because of Poland’s public feeling.

Ralf König identifies himself with the gay community, which he accompanies with his comics. He shows gays’ sexual tastes and fixations, human disappointments, fear of old age and loneliness. He does not pose as guru of emancipation (…). König just adds punchlines to the gay life.

Die Zeit

It’s supposed to be funny, yet not controversial. This is to be called normality.

Wojtek Szot, abiekt.pl

Konrad and Paul are released by a young publishing house abiekt.pl (established and led by Wojtek Szot, the author of the blog Abject: An alien penetrates the Internet [in Polish]).

In our - debuting - publishing house we would like to publish just the literature, which - due to various reasons - is unknown in Poland.

So, what is to be done now is simply to buy my own copy :] It’s really worth this small price it costs! This wonderful initiative is another notable turning point and I hope that it’s only a beginning and abiekt.pl will ply us not only with the next parts of Konrad and Paul, but also with other queer titles, giving a clear signal that this is a niche also attractive to other publishers in Poland. And popularity of this kind of works, the popularity, nay!, its outbreak!, on which I really count, can do no harm to anyone. Admittedly, all things in moderation, but still there won’t be much to moderate in Poland for a long time, so there’s nothing to worry about.

So I wish the very promising abiekt.pl good luck and much success! And I mean it!

sources: Wikipedia, abiekt.pl, Poltergeist

Warsaw Pride 2008

Hooray! A bit late though, but finally I know the complete schedule of this year’s Equality Days in Warsaw. Due to above mentioned I just have to share my precious knowledge with You and invite You to familiarize Yourself with the schedule. If by any chance You’re in Poland, in Warsaw or perhaps will be here next week, this is this unique chance to take part in such a wonderful event :]

The slogan of this year’s Equality Days is Live, Love, Be!. The main event will be the TV and Cinema Equality Film Festival, held between May 31 and June 6. Tomasz Raczek, one of the most important Polish media celebrity and film critique, will be the art-director. The Festival will take place in the Luna cinema in Warsaw. Apart from movie shows, that’s the place where the Hiacynt Prize (Hyacinth Prize - the prize which goes to people who made a great contribution on the fields of tolerance, equal rights and fighting homophobia) presentation ceremony, books and comics premières, as well as Equality Days opening and closing ceremonies will be held.

And here’s the full Festival schedule in Luna cinema:

31.05

19.00: initial meeting and presentations (Bastylia restaurant)
initial previews:
20.15: XXY | 20.30 Madame Sata
22.15: Breakfast on Pluto | 22.30 Nine Songs

01.06

16.00: A Love Story | Queer Duck: A Movie
18.00: The Outsiders | Boy Culture
19.30: Konrad and Paul | Thistles Gulf (books premières)
20.00: Opening Ceremony
20.15: Nina’s Heavenly Delights | Spinnin’

02.06

19.00: UFA invites: Trans-Mission (a panel discussion will be held after screening)
20.00: Video-Danse (short-length modern choreography, moderated session)

03.06

18.00: Saturno contro | Glue
20.00: Vier Fenster | Férfiakt

04.06

18.00: Was am Ende zählt | Un jour d’ete
20.00: No Regret | 20.30 Riparo

05.06

18.00: Kompisar (short-length) | Good Boys (medium- and short-length)
20.00: Comme des voleurs (meeting with the director) | Keillers Park

06.06

19.00: Closing Ceremony
Un chant d’amour
and also: Hiacynt Prizes 2008 presentation ceremony
(laureates: R. Jusis, P. Pacewicz, D. Wellman | M. Prokop, S. Grodzieńska, M. Pogorzelska
performances: Gabriela Kulka, Mosqitoo
host: Jolanta Fajkowska)
21.30: The Gymnast

The final part of the Festival will be the Equality Parade Warsaw Pride 2008 and accompanying events:

07.06

14.00: Equality Parade Warsaw Pride 2008
18.00: Before Party (Rasko club / Bastylia restaurant)

21.00: Pride Gender Party (M25 club)
23.00: After-Parade Hot Night (Toro club)

The Parade’s Manifesto consists in three main points:

1. The right to entering into civil unions
Lesbians and gays are the citizens of the Republic of Poland to the same degree and extent as heterosexual persons. They have the same right to happiness, also in their private lives. The state’s duty is to guarantee its citizens the best possible conditions to achieve happiness, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Therefore we demand passing the law of registered civil unions!

2. The right to solid social education
There’s nothing, from what the Poles could know that the only difference between homo- and heterosexuals is that we love persons of the same sex and not that we are different human beings. Fear of dissimilarity and otherness causes many intolerant and aggressive attitudes. Fear and lack of knowledge lead to social rejection of homosexual persons. On the other hand, homosexuals’ fear of aggression and rejection lead to sense of alienation, to depression or to suicide attempts.
Therefore we demand carrying out the social right to education!
Education is the key to fighting the social aggression, intolerance and rejection of homosexual persons.

3. The right to protection against discrimination
We demand passing the anti-discrimination legislation in Poland. We call for the ban on discrimination on account of sexual orientation to be added to the Polish Constitution, for homophobic statements to be treated as hate speech and homophobic crimes as hate crimes, by the criminal law.

full version (in Polish) HERE

It would be all, for now. Well, it’s obvious that I’m going to attend as much as possible Festival events. You will probably see me here and there during the whole week, then, of course, during the Parade and eventually in one of the clubs at the afterparty. See You there then!

If You’re interested, there’s much more information (partly in English, partly in Polish) here: Equality Festival, Warsaw Pride 2008, Equality Foundation. Besides, I’ll be happy to provide You with any information needed.

sources: Equality Festival, Warsaw Pride 2008, Equality Foundation

The Reverend Trytek Superstar: for fags - stake!

Dear Reader, let me introduce an up-and-coming star of Catholic anti-fag show business! Give a big hand to the Reverend Trytek!

(the full version of this post contains a video of the Reverend Trytek sharing his opinions about homosexuals and of what should be done to get rid of them; it’s in Polish, of course, but there’s nothing I can do but to provide You with a proper translation :] proceed and enjoy!)

Well, I have to say that I didn’t know the guy before. He’s some kind of a leader of some kind of a schismatic religious movement called sedevacantism in Poland. But it doesn’t matter actually. What matters is his extremely conservative and controversial attitude, opinions and beliefs. Although I cannot say that what he says is representative for what the Polish Catholic Church officially says and claims, because it is not, but it sure is representative for a great part of this Church, as well as for a great part of the Polish society. Exactly as follows:

Trytek: (…) it came to this scandal that they [homosexuals] came here near St. Mary’s Basilica (…) such things should be forbidden, the police should protect the market square against the march of fags and other perverts and… and side with us.

Journalist woman: Why do you say fags? They are gays.

Trytek: No, the word gays suggests that it is something positive, but no, it’s something negative. The word fag is very suitable.

Journalist woman: I see, but…

Trytek: …just to describe this phenomenon negatively enough.

Journalist man: And homosexuals express negative emotions?

Trytek: Of course.

Journalist woman: Why do you think so?

Trytek: Because they break the laws of nature. This is something for what in Old Testament and yet in the Middle Ages people with such tendencies were just burnt at the stake, and perhaps times have changed…

Journalist woman: But it was in the Middle Ages and now it is the 21st century.

Trytek: Well then, perhaps we should turn back to those wonderful times, perhaps these people should be burnt at the stake once again. Let us hope so.

Journalist man: One more question. So, did God make a mistake when he created a homosexual?

Trytek: No, nobody is born homosexual, it’s a affliction, it’s something to be cured, it’s an experience.

Journalist man: So it’s not a matter of genes?

Trytek: Of course not, it’s something to be cured. It’s a terrible disease, that’s right, but an appropriate treatment should cure such a poor wretch. Because in fact they are unhappy people.

Journalist woman: If so, where homosexuality comes from? How it is that someone suddenly realizes that he or she is a gay or a lesbian?

Trytek: As a general rule, these things are very diverse, but quite often it’s a matter of upbringing, social pathologies etc. There’s also some kind of fashion nowadays. In fact, only a few percent of population have such tendencies.

I think it does not require any comment. The Reverend Trytek speaks for himself and for all his fellow Holy Joes.

Video found thanks to Janek.

Homikus: Reloaded

Buongiorno,

as You, my Dear Reader, probably already, sooner or later, figured out, I kind of disappeared for a few weeks (sounds much better than “two months”, doesn’t it?). There were many reasons, or perhaps no reason at all, I can’t remember, but I’m not going to focus on this matter. The reasons were what they were, I’m taking them to the grave with me. Instead, I will say, that one beautiful day this week I suddenly realized that there’s something terribly wrong going on and that there was much of negligence here. Negligence already beyond my boundaries of tolerance, negligence which I hereby end with.

Much has happened during past two months. Among others, a new great version 2.5.1 of WordPress has been released. I have updated my installation today, but because the changes are quite numerous, I have to take care of everything involved. Not all plugins, unfortunately, are compatible with the new version, so there’s an urgent need of finding their equivalents. On these inhumanly tiring things I will probably spend some time. After all, there are the two versions of Homikus Pospolitus and the whole sinolog.pl to take care of. And now I have a little request. If by any chance this site causes You any technical problems, refuses cooperation, gets vulgar and rude - I kindly ask You to tell on it! There has to be some proper discipline.

Well then, that would be all. For now. Having dealt with the technical aspects of the site, I will finally return to blogging. Probably during this weekend. Stay tuned! :-]

Easter eggs :]

“Faggot!”

© Marcin Skoczek

Kaczyński versus fags

Let me continue.

Because of this rather tense situation President Kaczyński decided to refer to his constitutional right. On 17 March he gave the address to the nation. I suppose most of You haven’t seen it, or maybe even heard of it. So now You have this unique chance. And believe me, You don’t need to understand it. Just listen to it. I will explain it afterwards. Enjoy:

This particular presidential speech is a phenomenon itself. What’s it supposed to be actually? A serious speech of a leader? Well, it’s more like a commercial of a life insurance company to me. Or at the best, a commercial of presidency. A touching musical background (a theme from The Polish Ways TV series from 1976), a few scenes from some major political events, a few snapshots of beautiful Polish coutryside. And in addition, dynamic camera work. A masterpiece indeed! If only Mr President had read the text more carefully before… He has some real problems with his punctuation…

But enough with this sophisticated form, as it can’t dominate over the content. There’s no need to translate the whole speech, I think. Let us focus on the most important things, from my point of view of course:

(…) so called Charter of Fundamental Rights (…)

Not bad. What a brilliant rhetorical trick. But also a display of stupidity. This, Mr President, is an official name of the document. So a wording like this is nothing more than a manifestation of ignorance.

Another regulation in the Charter, by its lack of clear definition of marriage as a relationship between man and woman, could pose a threat to widely accepted moral code in Poland and oblige our country to introduce some institutions contradictory to moral beliefs of the majority.

This reminds me of a nice parallel - a filthy dwarf of reaction (a propaganda term used by Polish communist regime soon after the World War II for the former Home Army soldiers) :]

Well, nothing new at all. But later. Or a little earlier, to be precise. On 16 March Kaczyński was in a small town Łyse, which is famous for its citizens’ Palm Sunday palms. Having heard the mass the President gave a speech which was transmitted live on Polish TV news channel tvn24. A quite interesting abstract:

These decisions of the Treaty which are related to the Catholic religion have to be protected as firmly as possible in secular law. It is possible with a proper content of ratification act. But there are some people who are against including these elements into the text. (…) There are good Poles among people of other beliefs and atheists, too, but most of us are Catholics. We only want to protect ourselves; I say “we”, but I will strive for compromise (…) in my opinion, the ratification act, perhaps supported by a proper resolution as a compromise, should give us as much protection as possible.

And about the Charter of Fundamental Rights:

This document is generally right and just. But there are some paragraphs which could later result in, for example, right to marriages which are not a relationship between a man and a woman. But I’d rather not talk about it in a church.

What a pity… He should have talked about it. Maybe most of present bigots would just drop dead while hearing about two guys in the face of Almighty Merciful God of Love.

But let’s get back to the address. It has resulted in a small, but how ironic, turmoil. Now in the presidential video clip appears a photo of a gay couple being churched. It was claimed to come from one of the West European countries. But how could you have mistaken so deeply, dear presidential copywriters! Two gay guys, Brendan Fay and Tom Moulton, turned out to be citizens of New York, USA. Moreover, soon they heard about using their images in a way which would be rather contradictory to their will. Hence, Brendan decided to intervene and considers taking legal actions.

At first I was surprised, but then really shocked. I have to say that I’m really displeased to hear that photographs from our wedding, a day full of happiness, were used in TV as a part of campaign against homosexual marriages. Marriages like our own.

First he complained at the Polish consulate in New York. Consul Krzysztof Kasprzyk decided to answer and apologized Fay. American newspapers didn’t miss the opportunity to publish his statement:

I would like to thank You for Your conciliatory attitude and empathy which You have showed from the beginning, when this pitiful incident emerged.

New York Times says, upon consul’s letter, that the presidential address had been aimed at

simple-minded, village, Catholic and conservative electorate in eastern Poland.

But there will be no official stand until Kasprzyk’s meeting with gay activists and Fay.

Consul’s behaviour outrages deputy Jacek Kurski from Law and Justice. By the way, Kurski was a director of Kaczyński’s video clip. Deputy said:

It’s really staggering that the consul apologized to a gay. I’m not going to comment on it.

Please, notice the tone of this opinion. As well as a gay he could have said a louse. And this is what he meant.

In the meantime, Brendan Fay said yesterday (on Friday) that he was going to demand apology from Kaczyński. And if he doesn’t get it soon, he’s going to sue the Polish President.

It can’t last any longer. The President cannot openly offend people. We will need some kind of apology, for Mr President’s statement suggested that the relationships between two loving people are disastrous to the Polish society, which is not true.

He’s also going to send letters to President Kaczyński and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. As for Tusk, Fay is going to thank him for his critique of president’s opinions.

In a few words, my Dear Readers, it’s a mess. And a rather big one. I’m looking forward to watching next episodes of Kaczyński versus fags sitcom! :]

sources: gazeta.pl, Gazeta Wyborcza, Daily Telegraph,
tvn24, Dziennik, homiki.pl, gejowo.pl

Lisbon crusade

There has been much controversy about the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon in Poland during last few days. And about the address given by President Kaczyński, the address concerning the whole situation. Well, beyond all doubt that was a very interesting address. Technically. Besides, there are some politicians who brought themselves into discredit, there are some new slogans and another statements, which will probably be remembered in rather, hm, satirical contexts. To be honest, I don’t have much interest in politics, I don’t watch our government’s activities to closely. Maybe that’s because its activities have a rather bad influence on my already strained heart. Therefore, I don’t dare to analyse anything, I don’t dare to engage in any polemical discussion, I won’t even make any brilliant comments. I’m simply not competent enough. And I’m not going to pretend that I am. But what I’m going to do is to write some kind of summary of the latest, so interesting after all, events of March ‘08.

First of all, I’ll bring back a few things, which are most important for the Polish sexual minorities:

The Treaty of Lisbon is so important for us, because it legitimizes the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which had been the subject of much controversy in Poland in September and October 2007. The document lists citizens’ political, social and economic rights, including the sexual minorities’ rights. On 4 October 2007 our government decided that the Polish citizens won’t be allowed to refer to the Charter before the European Court of Human Rights. In other words, the Charter has been rejected. And what was the main argument? That the Charter would pose a threat to the institution of family.

Then came the parliamentary election which was closely watched also by LGBT community, not only in Poland. The victory of Donald Tusk and his party Civic Platform gave hope to Polish lesbians and gays, hope for, at least slight, changes in political course. Changes promised by Donald Tusk. And he had promised to accept the Charter. But soon after the election, in his exposé, he said that he had changed his mind and would respect the decisions made by the former government.

On 13 December 2007 the Treaty of Lisbon, also known as the Reform Treaty (officially: Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community), has been signed. Donald Tusk held his decision and the restrictions for the Poles were upheld.

The signature of the Treaty has started the process of ratification. If all the ratification documents are provided, the Treaty will become effective on 1 January 2009. Five European countries (Hungary, Slovenia, Malta, Romania and France) and the European Parliament have ratified it so far.

source: Wikipedia

Because too long posts are rather tiring and I still have much to write in this topic, I will continue tomorrow :] Stay tuned!

Because Poland is hetero

(…) Aggressive, impulsive homophobia is a cultural norm in Poland. (…)

(…) Prejudice is a part of social life. It happens that majority dislikes minority. It smells bad, behaves in an annoying way, and in addition it doesn’t respects majority’s just prejudice. (…)

(…) Liked and disliked citizens both have the same inalienable right to manifest their views in a common space. (…)

(…) Is gay a Pole after all? (…)

(…) A conservative publicist [Rafał Ziemkiewicz] would like the citizenship to be given only to those homosexuals who are silent and resigned to surrounding contempt. But a gay who shows his identity and publicly demands his rights should be thrown out of the national community, he claims. (…)

(…) Let them manifest peacefully, in the woods for example. Because Poland is hetero. (…)

Agnieszka Graff, Gazeta Wyborcza, 17-18 November 2007, Is Polishness hetero?.

Fight fire with posters

I decided to write what I’m just about to write after reading a post at mediafun with a nice title Pedał też człowiek (Fag’s a human too - unfortunately only in Polish). The Author writes about Kuba Sagan’s and Magda Szul’s advertising project, which focuses on the matter of social acceptance of homosexuals. One of the project’s authors comments, inter alia, as follows:

George Bernard Shaw once said: Only human can be inhumane. Our work forces to think - that person whom I recently, in some way, stigmatized for his sexual orientation, that person is the same human being as myself.

Although the project hasn’t been brought to light yet, there were a few similar, more or less successful, campaigns held in the past. The main contribution belongs to Campaign Against Homophobia. Organization’s most important actions include for example Co się gapisz, pedale?! (What are you staring at, faggot?!), Homofobia. Tak to wygląda. (Homophobia. That’s what it looks like.) and Niech nas zobaczą (Let them see us), and also the project Jestem gejem, jestem lesbijką! Poznaj nas! (I’m a gay, I’m a lesbian! Get to know us!).

What puzzles me is the reception of this kind of campaigns and projects in the society. There are two main aspects of this social reception: a) the matter of attitude towards homosexuality and homosexuals as they are, b) the matter of attitude towards anti-homophobia campaigns and moves as they are.

Gay’s a human too. Found somewhere on some wall. It’s not a part of any official campaign. © by Raziel.

As for the first aspect - everyone knows well, what the situation looks like. And now, those who don’t have anything against homosexuals and their presence in the society, which means those who don’t burn with irrational hatred, don’t think about it as an abnormal or harmful phenomenon, but a natural world’s order, those people have their proper opinion and not they are the main target of any anti-homophobia campaign, which are targeted at those whose attitude the authors would like to change or tone down. But there’s a small problem here. You don’t have to love homosexuals, your attitude can be completely neutral (well, that’s the best one in fact) or more ore less warm. But if someone hates fags, this hatred is as intense as possible. No half measures, no discussion, no rational argumentation. Those people hate and that’s that. It would be best if every single fag was wiped off the surface of the earth.

Polish society is a quite conservative one and that’s a fact. The Catholic religion plays its definitely too important role here, that’s a fact too. And that’s something hard to rationally discuss with, because people seem to have forgotten that beliefs are beliefs, not the only truth revealed. What follows it is much to strong institutional power and influence. I really can’t understand why the Poles are so very stubborn in defending themselves against independent thinking. It is such a enjoyable thing…

On the other hand, not once and not twice did I spoke with some of my friends, who don’t have much in common with any religion, but still they hate and despise. And they are very intelligent people, so at least it’s possible to discuss. I used to talk with them for hours. With different effects, of course. But it turns out that a person capable of rational and independent thinking is able to agree with logical argumentation. I’m not saying that they suddenly came to loving homosexuals as much as their own brothers and sisters. But at least there were some things for them to think about. With some they agreed, with others they didn’t, but the point is that their groundless hatred toned down. Because it just couldn’t face pure logic.

As for the second aspect of the social reception of the campaigns etc. Well, it’s quite diverse. Or is it? Some people’s attitude will be rather warm, and not necessarily because of the warm feeling towards homosexuals, but simply because of willingness to keep some kind of social order, in which there’s a place for everyone. Others will start screaming that they don’t want to see or hear any homosexual propaganda, that two hugging guys on some poster or on the street makes them sick. Let fags do anything they want in their homes, but they don’t have the right to impose their deviations on the society and to deprave it.

Wait a moment. They say about not imposing anything upon anybody? In this country?! About not imposing the world view? About not imposing beliefs? About not imposing the lifestyle?! Kidding! If it really was that those anti-homophobia campaigns impose anything… And who says that? People in the country where outdated and irrational Catholic values are imposed upon me in every aspect of my life, where politicians began to interfere in my private life, where the state’s marriage to the Church leads to society full of hatred in the name of Christian love and destroys social harmony to the extent never seen before, leading this damned society to, in fact, moral self-destruction?!

The anti-homophobia campaigns, on the contrary, are not to promote homosexuality or convert people to it or force them to anything. They’re all just about some positive presence in people’s consciousness. Such a tiny little thing like treating a gay or a lesbian as a human being, just like everyone else. Nobody forces anyone to anything. Nobody imposes anything upon anyone.

And I just want to feel no hatred and contempt around… to feel no fear… Is it really to much?

Worldly wisdoms by homikus series

I had a quite interesting day at the company today. Pleasant one, though. I have been doing my actual job for a few weeks now and until now I used to think about it only as a way of earning some money. Well, it is connected with my profession and it sure is well paid, but still I haven’t got much of satisfaction from it and I used to leave the office with a great relief and not feeling like coming back the next day or a few days later (it’s a part-time job, after all I still study). But today for the first time I’ve had a really great time at work.

It turned out that one of my supervisors is a historian. Well, my own profession is far from history, but let’s say that my field of studies is somehow connected with this most beautiful of all domains of knowledge. In addition, it also turned out that my supervisor was once very interested in this field of history, which has much in common with my own passions. And what’s so exciting about it all?

Well, we had a very interesting and pleasant conversation, we shared some knowledge, experience and discoveries with each other etc. We found a humane soulmate in each other, which is rather surprising in a company of strictly technical profile.

And the day was not so nice and pleasant because of the fact that of course we weren’t doing anything but talking for a couple of hours (yeah, loafing around together with the company’s manager - that’s not something you can feel bad about ;] ). Especially that most of the time I don’t have much to do there and I’m simply bored, so I have plenty of time to focus on doing nothing. Today I simply felt that going to work and spending time with my workmates can be something you just do for pleasure. A few words here, a few there, a short conversation about nothing at all - and suddenly it’s OK.

Besides, my boss said a few important things to me. Well, I’m this kind of a guy who does things either with full commitment or without any. This job was no exception. Already at home I was still thinking about it, still trying to do something more etc. So I was permanently tired and rather disheartened. Of course I knew that I should take it easy and be happy at least because of the amount of money I earn. But somehow I was unable to change my attitude and my way of thinking. But this guy today said it in some particular way, I suddenly realized how easy yet important it is. Well then, from now on I’m taking it easy. From now on my work is not the only thing in my life.

Moral by homikus: Sometimes it’s good to pay some attention to what older and smarter are saying!

Banner-gay-narcissism

I’m so proud o myself that I just can’t stop marvelling… Once again my exceptional sense of aesthetic, beauty and cosmic harmony made me felt. Therefore I fell into narcissistic madness and decided to share my truly superb pieces of art in the section BANNERS. Let them spread all over the world!

Bartosz Żurawiecki - author’s evening

After homiki.pl:

Campaign Against Homophobia invites to a meeting with Bartosz Żurawiecki, the author of recently published book Ja, czyli 66 moich miłości [there's no official translation, but it's something like Me or my 66 loves.] (Sic!, 2007).

The main character opens a profile on a gay dating portal, thanks to which he meets many people and has many love affairs. There are many brave scenes in the book, but they often turn into grotesque. The latest Żurawiecki’s novel surprises, is full of humour and stimulates thinking, violating sexual taboo at the same time.

The meeting will take place in the seat of Campaign, Warsaw, Żelazna Street 68 (1st floor), on Wednesday, November 14th at 8 pm. Free admission.

Bartosz Żurawiecki - (born in 1971) writer - author of a novel Trzech panów w łóżku, nie licząc kota. Romans pasywny [Three men in bed, not counting a cat. A passive romance] (2005) and a drama-book Erotica alla polacca (2005) and a film critic (Film, Przekrój, Tygodnik Powszechny [Polish newspapers and periodicals]).

The book has been already available for some time.

I haven’t bought it yet, but I’ve heard much about it, for example at the author’s evening with Robert Biedroń. Besides, I’m going to the Wednesday meeting, so I hope that the book will make a good impression on me, just as Rainbow’s ABC did. And by the way, I’m also going to become it’s happy owner and then reader.

There’s more and more going on in Polish gay literature recently. Unfortunately, lack of time doesn’t allow me to follow all the publication as fast and as closely as I would like to. But if there’s anyone interested in the latest events, I refer You to the article on homiki.pl. Really worth reading!

And I’m just about to read Rainbow’s ABC. Well, I’ve been trying to start reading it since Friday… There are so many things going on in my life recently. Rather… strange things, I would say. But not only, so time is worth more than gold for me now.

Therefore I hereby announce! I’ll give fortune for an additional couple of hours a day! Please send Your offers to my mailbox. Only serious offers will be considered! :]

President Kaczyński goes into a sulk

Read more to watch the video.

Who counted how long it took and observed how it looked like?

It was how our President Lech Kaczyński nominated our new Prime Minister Donald Tusk. And the problem is that, well, they don’t like each other. Why? Because the former Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński was his brother. President’s brother. And they ruled the country jointly and happily. But the changes are not in accord with their plans which fizzled out eventually. So the President just had to express his hatred of the PM.

As for the form of the meeting, it was not a dinner party. I accepted the nomination with much satisfaction. During last few days of waiting I have been preparing, also mentally, for my cooperation with Mr President to be rather hard. And that’s why I banked on nomination, not on any kind of particular cordialities. As for the ceremony itself, well, maybe ceremony is not a good word, but all watchers should make their own opinions about it. And most important is that I have the nomination. I checked it, and really, in this nice folder everything is in order. And I think that this is a good sign for the future.

So, it seems that we have a President who simply went into a sulk.

But on the other hand, it was quite nice to see His Majesty being about to clench his fists in fury.

Marshal’s Niesiołowski problems with gays

Yesterday Rzeczpospolita, one of Polish biggest nationwide daily newspapers, published an interview with our new Vice-Marshal of the Sejm (lower house of the Polish parliament) Stefan Niesiołowski. There would be nothing uncommon in this fact, if the conversation wasn’t about gay and lesbian community. And Niesiołowski has been known for his homophobic public statements for years. Some time ago he said:

Homosexuality is not a norm, most likely it is a sickness and we all should pray for them sinners and strive for their reformation and conversion.

Moreover, Marches for Equality are nothing but provocations which are aimed at leading to

discrimination against family, inter alia by financially supported by the government propaganda for abortion, by limitation on parents’ influence and rights (for example with making it possible for children or neighbours to officially complain about them), by gradual elimination of the [Catholic] Church’s influence and religion’s role in the process of education, by promotion of unmarried mothers and discrimination against numerous families, and finally by promotion of homosexuality.

(after Wikipedia)

And now Mr Marshal once again shows us his eloquence and competence. The interview which I mentioned at the beginning was taken in connection with LGBT organizations’ plans to arrange a meeting with Poland’s new Prime Minister Donald Tusk. And what says Niesiołowski about this? Well:

As a Prime Minister Donald Tusk doesn’t have time for such nonsenses and fictitious problems.

Yes, beyond all doubt one of the most important and still unsolved social problems in Poland is a “nonsense”. Sense of injustice and lack of any elementary rights (effective in the civilized world) concerning hundreds of thousands of citizens are not worth the effort. In addition

There’s no such thing as discrimination against homosexuals in Poland. Claims of its existence are meaningless and based on nothing.

Well, since the dawn of ages, where you sit determines where you stand. When a quite big part of a society feels ignored, or even hated, by its government (not to mention the nation’s mentality), then it’s still far from discrimination. Nay! They kindly pretend that we don’t exist. Oh thank you, your majesties! How could we be so stupid and accuse you of discriminating against us?!

This [i.e. claims of being discriminated] is these organizations’ regular tactics, organizations which lie to the society and try to persuade of the fact that homosexuals are oppressed.

Nobody persuades of anything. The society knows itself.

It is obvious that homosexuals should not be oppressed neither at work nor by the society.

Hm, I would say that it was not that obvious for the society. And it seems that for the Marshal as well, considering the general tone of his statements.

Answering the question, if the legalization of homosexual marriages is possible, Mr Niesiołowski says:

There was no official discussion about that within CP [Civic Platform - a Christian-democratic and liberal-conservative Polish political party, the largest party in Sejm; after 21 October 2007 National Assembly election it formed a government along with the People's Party], but the party’s leaders’ statements leave us in no doubt. (…) For me personally, a marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman and nobody will make me believe that it can be differently. After all, nobody forbids homosexuals to live together and lead a mutual life.

Of course. Firstly, it does not surprise me, there’s no big difference between CP and LaJ (Law and Justice - former ruling party, extremely Christian and conservative one and with strong connections with the Church], so just as I had no hope for changes before, I don’t have it now. Nevertheless, Marshall’s, a father of a normal family, private opinions should be, after all, marginalized, because a rather big part of the society does not agree with them. And of course nobody forbids us to live together. But most probably I would prefer our house to be somewhere deep in the forest and far from people’s eyes, otherwise I wouldn’t wait too long for some various, interesting and not quite pleasant incidents. And one of the arguments in the discussion is a matter of common income tax returns, but here also has Mr Niesiołowski a set answer:

On so called Equality Parades I have never seen any gay or lesbian waving their income tax return forms as a form of protest.

I beg your pardon, but this is just silly. Further on:

However, I saw an obscene parodying of the Pope or a gay dressed up as a nun. Demonstrators use these parades for provoking the rest of the society. They just want to manifest their disdain for the Church and for moral and social standards.

Yes, such things are possible only in Poland. When the Polish state will finally divorce from the Catholic Church? I don’t think I will live long enough.

I’m really sad to read such things. I didn’t vote for Civic Platform, but, however, this party is going to rule my country for the next four years. And from the very beginning, the same attitude as before. Ignorance, hatred and the only right morality and ethic - their morality and ethic. Nothing new. Got used to that, so maybe there’s no use in trying to change it? After all, it was the Poles who built for themselves such a wonderful Christian society, based on mutual love, tolerance and forgiveness. Is it not an ideal?

Robert Biedroń - author’s evening

I just came back from the author’s evening with Robert Biedroń, who is the author of recently published book Tęczowy Elementarz (there’s no official translation, but If I had to, I would make Rainbow’s ABC out of the title). The meeting took place in one of the gay clubs in Warsaw, namely Rasko, today (November 8th) at 7 pm.

I guess everything went just as good as it could. Unofficial and very friendly, warm and optimistic atmosphere made a wonderful impression on me. As for Robert, it was the first time I’ve met him. Though I’ve already heard much about him. But this implies that, for now, I know him only as an author, and not as a gay rights activist, for instance founder of Campaign Against Homophobia (one of the biggest and most important Polish LGBT rights groups).

The main topic in the agenda of the meeting was of course the presentation of the book. I will write a little more about it later, I have to read it first, as I didn’t miss the opportunity to buy it. Soon the presentation turned into discussion about gays’ and lesbians’ situation in Poland. Well, everyone agreed that this situation is slowly getting better and better, though still far from ideal… and that’s why such publications are very important. Well, to be honest, our new government is hardly better than the former one. And our new leaders, just like one of the disputants accurately expressed, are equally homophobic, only instead of openly spreading their sick propaganda and hatred, they express it in a little more polite words. Time shall tell, but there’s no hope for revolution. We just have to do more and more, be stronger and stronger.

The meeting was attended by special guests, inter alia former Minister of Education Ms Irena Dzierzgowska and well-known film critic Tomasz Raczek, who has recently came out.

Well, as I already wrote, the atmosphere was wonderful, so I came out of the meeting full of positive energy. And, which is more important, full of willingness to do something. I’ve been thinking about that for a couple of weeks now and I made up my mind - I want to engage in gay rights movement. There just can’t be too many activists, so I think I will have my chance to make my own little contribution!

Let’s rock!

Welcome, Dear Visitor!

In the first post the Author usually writes something about himself, about the purpose of launching the blog, about his plans concerning it, the idea etc. But for this I published a separate page, so I think there’s no use in repeating its content here. I invite You to read it, it will explain everything above mentioned to You.

I will only add that I really hope that this blog, which main idea should already be clear to everyone, will be accepted by the Polish blogosphere if not positively, then at least without hatred… Well, time shall tell, which is what Japanese students learning English in French-speaking Canadian primary school used to say.

OK, let’s call it a foreword.

And in a few moments I’m going to attend the Author’s evening with Robert Biedroń, so there will be plenty to write about in the next post.

Well then - welcome and please, feel free to drop by!