Gay couple return to Poland’s horrific ‘LGBT-free zones’ to fight homophobia and coronavirus with rainbow face masks
Jakub and David created hundreds of rainbow masks. (jakubidawid/ Instagram)
A Polish gay couple have been visiting the country’s horrific “LGBT-free zones” to fight homophobia and COVID-19 by handing out rainbow face masks.
More than a third of Poland has pledged to become an “LGBT-free zone”, vowing to refrain from acts that encourage tolerance and to avoid providing financial assistance to NGOs working to promote equal rights.
The intolerance is driven largely by the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), which has frequently targeted LGBT+ rights as an invasive foreign influence or “plague” that threatens the country’s national identity.
Jakub and Dawid, a Polish gay couple, previously borrowed a sewing machine from Jakub’s grandmother and made rainbow face masks together to hand out for free on the streets of the tri-city towns of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot.
Although there were some tense moments, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive, and Jakub said at the time: “It was great to see that rainbow didn’t scare people but will help them stay safe… Many Polish people call us a plague, so we thought if we help people overcome a real plague, they might change their minds.”
Now they have stepped up their project, taking hundreds of their rainbow masks to Poland’s “LGBT-free zones”.
Gay couple told: ‘Get the f**k out’ while handing out rainbow masks.
The couple visited the towns Mordy, Trzebieszów and Biała Podlaska, each an “LGBT-free zone”, and gave out 200 masks at each stop.
They filmed the whole experience, despite facing hostility and threats of violence.
In Mordy they faced a “tough start”, with one man telling them upon seeing the rainbow design: “Get the f**k out of here or I will punch you in the face.”
But things gradually started to improve. The asked another man: “Are you aware that we do it to spread tolerance?” He responded: “We need some changes.”
A woman in the next town, Trzebieszów, told the couple: “You are spreading tolerance and equality, and we are taking part in it with pleasure.”
The couple were soon almost out of masks, exclaiming: “The priest would be sad – we are happy!”
They added: “Watching so many people with rainbow masks on their faces in such areas was absolutely worth it!”
