as a polish queer woman and human rights activist, i know exactly how you're feeling right now and what to expect from these elections. i lived through the 2015-2023 regime of pis, a right-wing populist party that divided families in the same way trump did. iâve experienced the rise of fascism in poland, the influence of far-right parties like konfederacja, and their âsantaâs little helpersââordo iuris, an ultra-conservative catholic organization (banned in many countries, mind you) that helped enforce a near-total abortion ban and runs anti-queer campaigns in public spaces. i supported the black protests in 2016 as a middle schooler when they first tried to ban abortion. as an adult, i actively participated in the 2020 womenâs strike, running from police tear gas daily after they finally passed the ban. i supported friends who faced charges.
iâve lived through intense homophobia in poland as a queer teen and adult. i survived the first pride march in my hometown, where far-right extremists threw stones and glass at us. i endured the anti-queer propaganda spread by the ruling party in state-owned media. i survived the ârainbow night,â polandâs own stonewall moment in summer 2020, when police arrested around 50 queer activists following the arrest of margo, a nonbinary activist. i survived the "lgbt-free zones," the targeted violence, the slurs from strangers on the street, and the protests i held against queerphobia. it was hard as fuck, but i survived.
but just because i survived, it doesnât mean others did. many women died because of the abortion banâmarta, justyna, izabela, dorota, joanna, maria, and many others who didnât survive pisâs draconian anti-abortion laws. milo, kacper, michaĹ, zuzia (she was 12), wiktor, and other queer and trans kids and young adults took their own lives because of the relentless queerphobia.
despite all of this, our experience in poland can serve as a guide now. here are some tips for staying safe and how we, polish queers and women, organized under the regime:
safety first, always. if you know someone whoâs had an abortion, no you donât. if you know someone is trans, no you donât. if you know people who help with safe abortions, no you donâtâat least not until you know itâs 100% safe to share. if you are queer or have had an abortion, only share this with people you trust fully. most importantly, not everyone has to be an activist just because theyâre part of a minority. if it feels unsafe to share that you're queer, trans, etc., then donât. it doesnât make you any less queer.
use secure, encrypted messaging like signal for conversations on potentially risky topics, such as queerness, abortion, organizing counter-actions, protestsâanything that might be used against you.
stay anonymous online. if you want to research or report something without surveillance, do not use regular internet. get a vpn (mullvad is affordable and reliable), download the tor browser (for both onion and standard links), and if you plan to whistleblow, consider using a riseup email account.
organize and build networks. community is everything now. support each other, foster independence, because your government wonât have your back. set up collectives, grassroots movements. create lists of trusted professionalsâlawyers, doctors, etc.âwho can offer support.
to lawyers and doctors: please consider pro-bono work. this is what got us through polandâs hardest times. your work will be needed now more than ever.
for protests or risky actions: always write a pro-bono lawyerâs number on your arm with a permanent marker.
get to know the anarchist black cross federation and other resources on safety culture: "Starting an anarchist black cross group: A guide"; Still We Rise - A resource pack for transgender and non-gender conforming people in prison; Safe OUTside the system by the Audre Lorde Project;
for safe abortion info or involvement: get familiar with womenhelpwomen.
stay radical, stay strong, stay informed: The Anarchist Library
if i forgot to (or didn't) include something, don't hesitate to reblog this post with other resources.
