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Description
This project addresses the problem of discrimination and exclusion of LGBT+ people in Kielce. Recently there was a huge wave of symbolic abuse towards the LGBT+ community due to the rainbow bench project, which was part of the Civic Budget. The hate campaign, in which the media also played a part, led to ‘ideological’ projects being banned under future budget rules. The rainbow benches were quickly destroyed and hateful and homophobic slogans were written on them. At the same time, the city authorities made no comment on the homophobic motives behind the vandalism. Meanwhile, the education authority openly opposes measures to support LGBT people, such as rainbow Fridays. In addition, past initiatives to help LGBT+ people in Kielce were suspended due to the pandemic.The Project Promoter will prepare a series of measures to support LGBT + people in Kielce and the region, including six open integration and awareness meetings, four self-defence and assertiveness workshops for approximately forty women, and two psychoeducation workshops on emergency intervention combined with an on-call therapy service, which will benefit approximately ten people. There will also be two discrimination prevention workshops for government clerks and teachers, thirty people in total. There will also be an outdoor poster campaign to trigger a discussion among the city authorities on local social policy and lack of measures to support minorities.The project is intended for LGBT+ people in Kielce and to the local community in general. LGBT+ people will be given support in emergencies, feel safer, and live more comfortably in Kielce. People working in government offices or education will become more knowledgeable on how to counteract discrimination.The Regional Voluntary Work Centre will assist the Project Promoter in finding volunteers to help LGBT+ people, and premises and infrastructure necessary for meetings and workshops.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of discrimination and exclusion of LGBT+ people in Kielce. Recently in Kielce, the LGBT+ community has experienced tremendous symbolic violence related to the rainbow benches project implemented in public spaces as part of the Civic Budget. The project has provoked a number of homophobic reactions from the media and local politicians. The discussion around the dangers of the colorful furniture led to a ban on proposing "ideological" projects in the regulations of the future budget, and shortly after the benches were placed in various locations, they were vandalized. Offensive slogans attacking LGBT+ people were written on the benches, and they were destroyed, set on fire and uprooted. At the same time, no one from the city government directly addressed the homophobia and hatred that motivated the vandalism. Despite the Project Promoter’s appeals to the Mayor and City Council to initiate an anti-discrimination campaign, the authorities remained passive. Moreover, Kielce itself lacks an offer to strengthen and integrate the LGBT+ community.
The project included initiatives to raise the visibility of LGBT+ people and provide them with psychological support and a safe space to meet. The Project Promoter conducted a series of activities to support LGBT+ people in Kielce and the region, including a series of open integration and self-development meetings (meditation, yoga, film meetings and discussions, picnic, dance classes, community kitchen), psychological consultations and 4 self-defense and assertiveness workshops for women. Anti-discrimination workshops were also organized for local officials, and teachers. These activities were complemented by an outdoor social-information campaign to raise the visibility of LGBT+ people in Kielce.
Various groups of people benefited from the project - primarily the local LGBT+ community, but also activists, teachers, and officials in the region. The visibility of LGBT+ people in Kielce and knowledge of discrimination against LGBT+ people increased. Those who participated in the educational workshops improved their competence in recognizing homophobia and responding to it. In turn, LGBT+ people learned how to identify the symptoms of a crisis and how to cope with mental problems, and inclusive meetings brought the community closer together.