Two LGBT-Free Zones in Poland Struck Down By Courts

A court in Poland has annulled a town's LGBT-free zone declaration, according to Polsat News. The provincial administrative court in Radom invalidated the Klwow Commune Council's resolution because the term "LGBT-free" refers to persons rather than an ideology and is, therefore, discriminatory and against the law. A similar decision was announced for the city of Istebna the day before.

"Ideology is always associated with people," Judge Krzysztof Wujek is quoted in the oral decision by GCN. The judge went on to note that while the dictionary may define ideology as a set of ideas, claiming the LGBT-free zones were not about people "is turning a blind eye to reality."

The decision came in response to lawsuits file by Adam Bodnar, the country's commissioner for human rights.

The news in the country is mixed, though. A similarly positive decision was handed down by an administrative court in Gliwice when it annulled an LGBT-free resolution by the town of Istebna. However, other courts in Krakow, Kielce and Poznan have rejected similar complaints against LGBT-free zones.

Homophobic incumbent Polish president Andrzej Duda was reelected to a second term in office earlier this month after a campaign filled with inflammatory and hateful rhetoric. The election was set against a backdrop of rising hate and promises of increased discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in the former Soviet satellite state. Duda whipped up a crowd of right-wing supporters last month with calls for a crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community, and his "Family Card" of proposals promised to outlaw marriage equality and prevent child adoption by LGBTQ+ families.

The campaign also featured the first same-sex couple to appear in a national commercial on Polish television. Well-known YouTubers, Jakub and Dawid Mycek-Kwiecinski appear giving themselves haircuts, slowly embracing, and moving in for a kiss. One is shown reaching for a condom after the pair embraces. The commercial was promptly banned from the television network controlled by the ruling party.

The decision by the provincial administrative courts are not final. The parties have the right to appeal the decision.

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