It looks as if the threats to remove European funding (to the tune of €150 million) has worked as Polish regions that previously implemented ‘LGBT-free zones’ are now scrapping them.
After reports that great swathes of Poland had adopted the hostile environment for queer people, the EU responded in language that makes it pretty clear anti-LGBT rhetoric flies in the face of what the bloc represents.
This week in the region of Swietokrzyskie, a special regional assembly passed a new resolution stating that Poland’s constitution guarantees ‘equality and fair treatment for all’, also saying that parents have every right to raise their children in accordance with their own beliefs.
The Polish government has already asked local authorities in several regions to revoke the largely symbolic anti-LGBT resolutions and the financial threat has clearly done the trick. When the whole ‘zones’ don’t even have any legal standing, creating a uncertain environment for LGBTQ+ people what really is the point if it also hurts them financially. Let’s hope the rest of the country catches up and ditches this nonsense for good.