Tag: poland gay rights

Gay Polish mayor becomes opposition icon

Robert Biedron is a progressive and openly gay mayor in one of Europe’s most conservative countries. Slupsk, Poland — Poland’s right-wing government has put it on the fringes of Europe on issues that include abortion, migration and democracy. But a charismatic 40-year-old mayor is leading a counter-cultural charge from the Baltic coast city of Slupsk.… Read more »

Thousands march for gay rights in Poland, Croatia, Italy

Warsaw, Poland — Several thousand people marched Saturday in colorful gay pride events in Italy, Poland and Croatia urging support for minority rights in the mostly Catholic nations. The parades in Poland and Croatia come amid mounting right-wing sentiments that pose new challenges to gay rights activists. In Italy, however, the gay pride celebration comes… Read more »

Poland passes first gender recognition bill

Polish parliament has passed the country’s first ever transgender recognition legislation. Anna Grodzka – Poland’s first openly transgender politician – introduced the Gender Accordance Act in May 2012, and it was finally passed on Thursday (23 July) by 252 votes to 158, with 11 absentations. Although the country has legally recognised transgender citizens since the… Read more »

Poland blocks debate on gay civil partnerships

The Polish Parliament has voted against having a debate on the regulation of gay and straight civil partnerships. The Polish Sejm rejected the proposal, put forward by the Democratic Left Alliance, meant that same-sex couples in civil partnerships would be able to pay income tax jointly, the right to inheritance, and social security benefits as… Read more »

Robert Biedron Becomes Poland’s First Openly Gay Mayor

Warsaw, Poland (AP) — Robert Biedron already made history once in Poland by becoming the first openly gay lawmaker in parliament in 2011. On Monday, he became the country’s first openly gay mayor. The 38-year-old’s political successes are a marker of how quickly this deeply conservative and Catholic country has changed in the decade since… Read more »