Poland On Track To Ban Anti-LGBTQ Hate Speech

Poland On Track To Ban Anti-LGBTQ Hate Speech

Poland is updating the nation's anti-hate laws and has just approved the addition of sexual orientation, gender, age, and disability to be included. Currently, the regulations only include mention of religion, ethnicity, and race. Violators can be sentenced to up to three years in jail. The ministry states, "The new regulations aim to more fully implement the constitutional prohibition of discrimination and to meet international recommendations on standards of protection against hate speech and hate crimes.”

The new regulation draft was approved by Prime Minister Donald Tusk this week and will now move to Parliament. It is expected to be approved by the majority. Poland's election last year shifted power from the right-wing government. The UN’s Human Rights Council had previously voiced concerns regarding the hate laws exclusion of disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Under past government rule, Poland's queer community was being challenged with the implementation of so-called LGBTQ-free zones in 100 municipalities. The last LGBTQ-free zone was repealed only this last year. Members of the queer population have voiced that they have felt like second-class citizens. The community was seen as a risk to traditional family values. Data from the ILGA-Europe's 2024 report states that the status of LGBTQ rights in Poland is the worst among the European Union countries. Even so, gay and bisexual men are permitted to donate blood and serve in the Armed Forces. Currently, laws ban employment discrimination based on sexuality although the protections may not be upheld. Trans citizens are permitted to receive gender-affirming medical procedures and may legally change their sex and name. Same-sex couples may not adopt and lesbian couples are restricted from receiving IVF treatment.

 

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The majority of Poland's population identifies as Catholic, with tradition and conservative values. Same-sex marriage is not permitted in the nation and civil unions are not recognized. The LGBTQ community has gained a voice since the early 2000s and the younger generation in the bigger cities is being credited with creating a more open idea of acceptance of the queer population. There are LGBTQ nightclubs and even some equal rights organizations that have visibility in the bigger cities. That being said, population polls conducted in the last decade show that the majority still believe that homosexuality is wrong and same-sex activity is morally wrong. Polish men under 40 were polled and revealed that the majority believed that the LGBTQ movement and gender issues were the biggest threat of the 21st century.

So clearly there is more work that needs to be made in the nation's support of the queer community, but news like the medication of hate laws is a move in the right direction.