France Raises Furor Over Polish “LGBT-Free” Zones

“LGBT-free zone” stickers distributed by far-right magazine Gazeta Polska. (Wikimedia Commons)

French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune has requested that the European Commission launch legal proceedings against Poland over the country’s “LGBT-free zones.” The move comes after allegations that Polish authorities prevented Beaune, who is openly gay, from visiting such a zone earlier this month.

These regions and localities in Poland have officially declared themselves hostile to so-called “LGBT ideology,” becoming common in recent years. Around 100 jurisdictions, amounting to a third of the country, have made such declarations. The bans, which seek to ban pride parades and other LGBTQ+ events, have led to LGBTQ+ communities and individuals becoming targeted and stigmatized. The rise of “LGBT-free” zones represents a broader trend of escalating homophobia as the country grows increasingly politically and culturally conservative. 

European authorities have sought to curb this trend. Several European municipalities outside of Poland have severed sister city ties with Polish municipalities that have declared themselves to be “LGBT-free” zones. The EU has denied funding to these zones, with EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli stating, “Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, are fundamental EU values. These principles must be applied transversally to all EU funding.” On March 11, the European Parliament officially voted to declare the EU an “LGBTIQ freedom zone,” passing a resolution that stated people “in the EU should enjoy the freedom to live and publicly show their sexual orientation and gender identity without fear of intolerance, discrimination or persecution.”

Beaune, who had previously announced his intent to visit Poland’s “LGBT-free” zones, was allegedly prevented from visiting the town of Kraśnik on March 8. He initially claimed that local officials cited public health concerns before accusing the Polish authorities of threatening to cancel official meetings if he entered the town. Polish officials have denied both accounts. Beaune elected to proceed with the rest of his visit to the country, during which he planned to advocate for less restrictive abortion laws and meet with LGBTQ+ NGOs and liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski.

Beaune alleges that, by permitting the “LGBT-free” zones, Poland is violating EU law. If the infringement proceedings are successful, Poland could be taken before the European Court of Justice and face heavy fines. The incident has the potential to strain Franco-Polish relations, which have been poor in recent years, but Polish LGBTQ+ groups are nonetheless encouraged by this EU development. As Bartosz Staszewski, one of the activists that met with Beaune, noted, “It’s definitely a very important signal to all of us, a political signal to our community, that we aren’t alone. That foreign politicians are also looking at Poland and that they are our allies.”

Beaune sees his campaign to hold the Polish government accountable not as a consequence of his sexuality but as a duty of his office. “I wouldn’t want people to say I am fighting against ‘LGBT-free’ zones because I am gay,” he said in an interview with French gay magazine Têtu. “It would be insulting to say I am leading that fight for myself... However, as European affairs minister, I have an additional responsibility. I must fight for tolerance.”