In Poland, an appeals court has ruled that the "LGBT-free zones" in four municipalities must be abolished. The ruling is considered a significant victory for the LGBTQ+ community and a milestone for human rights and democracy. The municipalities must rescind their decisions. This means that local authorities must overturn their 2019 resolutions declaring their territories…
…free from "LGBT ideology.“ With these declarations, religious conservatives sought to present themselves as defenders of traditional values at the expense of sexual minorities. The aim of these resolutions was to suppress the discussion of sexual diversity, for example, through modern sex education in schools. The Polish Ombudsman for Human Rights filed a lawsuit against the "LGBT-free zones"—in the first instance, courts ruled that nine such zones had to be abolished.
The appeal by the conservative forces was rejected
The public prosecutor's office, the ultraconservative think tank "Ordo Iuris," and the affected municipalities appealed the ruling. On Tuesday, these appeals were rejected in the first four cases. The Polish Campaign Against Homophobia hailed the decision as "a great victory for democracy, human rights, and respect for people."
Conservative politicians were less pleased with the decision. "If council members decide they want to support our traditions and identity, that is their sovereign right. No one should restrict that," Michał Wójcik, a minister from the ultraconservative ruling party "Solidarna Polska," told Reuters, criticizing the judges' decision.
No EU money for “LGBT-free zones”
The European Commission had previously declared that "LGBT-free zones" were incompatible with EU law, as any discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited in such zones. "The EU Commission has emphasized that defining areas, workplaces, or services as LGBT-free violates Article 2 of the European Treaties," explained Andrzej Bętkowski, the Voivodeship Marshal of Świętokrzyskie, when his region rescinded the decision in September 2021.
Brussels had already initiated infringement proceedings against Poland because, at its peak, more than one hundred cities, towns, and regions had declared themselves "LGBT-free zones." These areas, primarily in the predominantly Catholic south and southeast of the country, comprised roughly a third of Poland's land area.
