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Description
Since March 2019, the LGBTQ+ community has been under constant attack from the government, government-controlled media, and the clergy. This has led to increased homophobia, assent to abuse of LGBTQ+ persons and an increasing sense of isolation and vilification among LGBTQ+ persons. Currently, LGBTQ+ people''s need for ''places of their own'', and for support demonstrating that they have the same right as the rest of society to be themselves in public, has never been greater. Although it has a reputation for being an academic and open town, Toruń does not have much to offer even to young LGBTQ people (there are only a few LGBTQ-friendly establishments, and no establishments for LGBTQ+ people). There are no facilities for people in other age groups, such as the elderly. Our questionnaire has confirmed that the community has a need for almost all forms of activity: support and meeting groups, and theme-based groups, and activities for parents who are LGBTQ persons, theme-based workshops, legal advice, and special events. The project addresses the lack of support and a friendly place for LGBTQ+ people to meet. We will hire, renovate and furnish premises in the center of Toruń which will be a safe place for LGBTQ+ people, a place for the LGBTQ+ community to meet and integrate with the local community, a place of shelter for LGBTQ+ people in need of interim support (one place for overnight accommodation) and a permanent education and information point for LGBTQ+ people (workshops, legal advice, theme-based groups) and for heteronormative people (theme-based evenings, integration meetings, lectures). 250 LGBTQ+ people, and a similar number of heteronormative people, will take part in the numerous activities. The project will principally lead to an increase in the sense of safety and internal integration in the Toruń LGBTQ+ community, the creation of a favorable image for LGBTQ+ people, and integration of LGBTQ+ people with the community in Toruń and the surrounding area.
Summary of project results
The project is a response to the exclusion and discrimination of LGBTQ + people in Poland. For several years, the LGBTQ + community has been the target of constant attacks by the ruling majority, the media it controls and the church. The hate campaign reached its peak before the parliamentary and presidential elections and during the protests of the LGBTQ + community and its allies in Warsaw in the summer of 2020. The effect of these actions was an increase in homophobia and consent to homophobia motivated violence, and a greater sense of threat and loneliness among LGBTQ + people. The homophobic narrative at the local level has taken the form of self-governing "LGBT-free zones". In Toruń, the local LGBTQ + community has not had too many safe places to meet.The grant promoter has created the "Equator" Rainbow Support and Integration Center, a physical space for LGBTQ + people. As part of the project, a number of integration, support and educational activities were organized. There were almost 40 meetings for LGBTQ + people, several integration meetings for transgender people, 18 integration meetings for young people, several meetings of the artistic group and gymnastic section, several dozen film and board evenings, lectures and discussions, as well as 5 integration and information meetings for the inhabitants of Toruń with the LGBTQ + community. As part of the project, the local LGBTQ + community benefited from 50 legal duty hours and 24 intervention psychological consultations. The Center is used mainly by LGBTQ + youth and young adults - at the time of the project it was a total of several hundred people. There were also published 4 information packets for young people on how to safely and substantively initiate a conversation on topics related to LGBTQ + people in schools. The center also functions as an emergency accommodation place, which has so far been used by several people.As a result of the project, a new, inclusive place for the LGBTQ + community has appeared on the activist map of Toruń. The local LGBTQ + community was strengthened by the psychological, legal and emotional support provided, as well as by the possibility of using the rich, integrative and educational offer of the Equator. The sense of security among LGBT + people has increased and ties both within the LGBTQ + community and with other residents of Toruń have been strengthened.
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