Territorial self-government and “LGBT-free zones”

Abstract

Several dozen of self-governments – municipal and county councils and regional assemblies passed resolutions and declarations against the LGBT ideology. The authors of these documents emphasized the will to protect the family based on traditional values and to defend the education system against LGBT propaganda/ideology. Opponents warned against the stigmatization of non-heteronormative people. The guideline for the above-mentioned documents became the “Local Government Charter of Family Rights”, published in 2019. Signs “LGBT-free zone” have appeared at the entrances to areas administered by self-governments that have adopted such declarations or resolutions. The dispute has become increasingly wide-ranging and has involved the media, the courts, the prosecutor’s office, the Ombudsman, the European Parliament, and the European Commission. The author of this article does not take sides. He merely believes that unnecessary quarrels harms our country. To demonstrate the absurdness of the argument over “LGBT-free zones”, the article refers to: – the selected documents relating to local government (declarations, resolutions, court judgments) and the “Local Government Charter of Family Rights” – generally binding acts of law relating to the self-government, family and educational tasks; – biographies of people (e.g. writers) who should be considered positive in Polish and World history, despite their complicated family life. The selection of the analyzed data can be considered subjective. The author chose the documents of local governments of Małopolska and Beskid Mountains, because he considers the areas managed by them to be very attractive for tourists – he likes to spend holidays in Cracow, Zakopane and Beskid Śląski and Żywiecki, e.g. in Koniaków and Żywiec. The reading list for secondary schools, adopted by the Minister of National Education, determined the selection of writers’ biographies. The choice of the others was determined by the uniqueness of their biographies and the impact on the history of Poland and the world. Finishing work on the article in March 2022, the author consciously introduced the theme of Ukraine.