"We need the eyes of the world to watch us."
On Saturday, 14th of September, Golosa and GEGEN will have a truck at the parade of the Szczecin Pride. We met with Monika Pacyfka Tichy to learn why our support is so important. Join us next saturday in Poland, just two hours by train or car from Berlin, and let’s march together 
Golosa: Hi Monika, please briefly describe you and your political journey so far.
Monika Pacyfka Tichy: I am an activist, a feminist and I am always on a riot. I love motorcycles and travelling. I used to be a manager of young racing talents and that was my activism until the new far-right PiS Partei came to power. I had to abandon motorcycles and start to fight for human rights, women rights and democracy in Poland.
You work for Lambda Szczecin, could you tell us more about this organization ?
In our city there was no active LGBTQI+ group so I decided to create one along with some other people who had the same idea. We reactivated Lambda Szczecin, and in 2018 we organized the first Pride here. Lambda also provides help for LGBTQI+ people and their relatives on psychological and legal fields. We also organize support groups and educational events.
What is the situation of LGBTQI+ in Poland?
LGBTQI+ people have no basic rights in Poland: no registered partnership, an extremely difficult, humiliating legal transition, no hate crime nor hate speech protection. The current government has been discriminating LGBTQI+ people since they came into power but especially now, in the election year, the LGBTQI+ community is getting intensively attacked by politicians of the ruling party and their political friends: the Catholic Church. Local authorities are creating so called „LGBT free zones”. This caused a rapid rise of homophobic attacks. Some of the prides, especially in the south-eastern part of the country, saw its participants getting brutally attacked by Neo-Nazi hooligans. Last year in Szczecin we were attacked too.
Why is it important to join the Szczecin Pride ?
We need the eyes of the world to watch us. What is happening here must be seen worldwide. Poland is member of EU and it is a responsibility. Every person marching with us brings more energy to our Pride. We need you guys!
Join Berlin Queers supporting Szczecin Pride:
