Queer Polish Artists Face Time in Prison for ‘Rainbow Mary’ Protest Posters ???????? ????️????
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According to a report in the Polish-language website Wyborcza.pl, Elżbieta Podleśna, Anna Prus, and Joanna Gzyra-Iskandar Podleśna face up to two years in prison for offending the religious feelings of the Catholics by displaying their own rainbow Mary and Jesus during Pride in Plock, Poland.
Już za chwilę rusza proces w #Płock przeciwko 3 aktywistkom – Asi, Eli i Ani za to, że sprzeciwiły się homofobii w polskim kościele.
Nawet nie mam słów, jak bardzo mnie szokuje, że za użycie tęczy grozi nawet do 2 lat więzienia.
????Jesteśmy z Wami!#TeczaNieObraza #LGBT pic.twitter.com/VjJnizN1ow— Aleksandra Magryta ????️???? ???? (@A_Magryta) January 13, 2021
The women said they were inspired to make their peaceful protest because of a homophobic Easter display at a nearby church.
“The immediate reason for our action was the homophobic and hurtful installation,” Podleśna told the court.
Co-defendant Prus agreed, declaring the church display was “hatred, contempt, aggression.”
According to Out Magazine: The hateful display in question showed a cross surrounded by signs listing actions considered crimes by the church. They included words like betrayal, lie, homosexuality, and LGBT. In protest, the three women altered a nationally revered portrait of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus for the 2019 Pride protest.
“Secular, not Catholic Poland!”
“Rainbow does not offend!”
(Protesters speak truth to power in Poland, an EU member state where 3 activists face 2 years in prison for portraying the Virgin Mary with a rainbow halo.)
https://t.co/f4N0YjzTni#LGBT pic.twitter.com/h9c0aeNbYM— Jan Kooy (@KooyJan) January 15, 2021
“Rainbow does not offend!” Jan Jooy, deputy European media director for Human Rights Watch, tweeted.
“Secular, not Catholic Poland!”
“Rainbow does not offend!”
(Protesters speak truth to power in Poland, an EU member state where 3 activists face 2 years in prison for portraying the Virgin Mary with a rainbow halo.)
https://t.co/f4N0YjzTni#LGBT pic.twitter.com/h9c0aeNbYM— Jan Kooy (@KooyJan) January 15, 2021
Homophobic President Andrzej Duda was re-elected to a second 5-year term after running on a “family card” of proposals that promised to outlaw marriage equality and prevent child adoption by LGBTQ+ families among other proposals. Towns all over the country have declared themselves “LGBT-free” zones. Two of the zones were declared illegal by local courts, but such progressive decisions have proven to be the exception.