Description
The project concerns the intersectional discrimination of women because of gender, sexual orientation and a place of residence (rural area). Using a participatory method, tools will be prepared for leaders and animators of local communities and NGO activists, to help to react to intersectional discrimination, build respect for non-heterosexual women in local communities and prevent their discrimination in everyday life. An important aspect of the project is the fact that it will take into account solutions worked out by persons directly affected by the problem of intersectional discrimination. Emphasis will also be placed on breaking with metronormativity - taking the urban context as the norm through which the problems of non-heterosexual women living outside the cities are perceived. In working out the solutions, the project provides for high level of involvement of the group which is affected by the problem. Breaking the social isolation of this group will be an additional result.
Summary of project results
"Research led by the Women's Space Foundation shows that non-heterosexual women (lesbians, bisexual women) living outside big cities are more exposed to discrimination and exclusion in their local communities. Their special situation and needs are taken into account neither by public assistance centres nor by non-governmental organisations. Most women's and LGTB organisations operate in big cities and are not aware of the realities of living outside metropolises. As a result, non-heterosexual women living in small localities and in rural areas experiencing intersectional discrimination because of their gender, sexual orientation and place of residence have no access to support that they need. The project was aimed at breaking the isolation of non-heterosexual women from small localities through including them in the process of developing possible support forms and through sensitising non-governmental organisations and other institutions for the needs of this group of women. Activities led under the project resulted in developing and popularising among organisations operating in big cities proposals for solutions for cooperation with non-heterosexual women living outside big cities and in supporting this group of women through enabling them to contact organisations, as well as through including them in the process of developing solutions to improve the situation of every group discriminated on multiple grounds. Proposals for solutions were developed during a series of focus meetings and workshops led using co-solving methodology that gathered 44 representatives of three groups: 9 non-heterosexual women from small localities, 14 local women activists and 21 women activists from LGTB/feminist organisations. The meetings and workshops helped to identify needs and obstacles in the area of effective cooperation of the groups and to discuss possible solutions. The results of the activities were summed up in a publication containing specific guidelines for organisations and educators interested in activities focused on the needs of non-heterosexual women living outside big cities. The publication was promoted using iconographies and open meetings organised in six cities (Kielce, Białystok, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań and Gdańsk) which gathered approx. 200 persons. Direct beneficiaries of the activities were 44 participants of the project."
Summary of bilateral results