[Karma Police]

We used to but our current government ruined our position within the EU and is very sexist, homophobic, racist and xenophobic. Every day they come up with something new to make my blood boil. Their dream is to make us the second Hungary.

Poland was never very open when it comes to LGBT issues though. Now it's just worse then it was under the previous government.

[la villanelle]

It's like yeah it's great in certain places like Canada and UK that we're making great strides but it's worth nothing if in other countries we're going backwards or making no head way.

[Karma Police]

It's why I don't like it when people say things like "it's 2017, get with the programme". In an ideal world everybody would accept people no matter their orientation, race, etc. but in reality there are a lot of bigots and get away with hate crimes, even in countries where laws protect minorities.

[la villanelle]

Yep. It's my biggest issue with "it gets better". It might do for some but for lots of people it really doesn't. And that fear stays with them the whole time.

It's like I have no problem telling people I'm gay, the one thing that scares me is how other people react. Cause you can't tell a homophobe or even a racist/sexist till you speak to them.

[wickedrum]

Originally Posted by Karma Police (View Post) We used to but our current government ruined our position within the EU and is very sexist, homophobic, racist and xenophobic. Every day they come up with something new to make my blood boil. Their dream is to make us the second Hungary. Poland was never very open when it comes to LGBT issues though. Now it's just worse then it was under the previous government.

The second Hungary? What does that mean? I'm not up to date with Hungarian politics either.

[Karma Police]

dp

[Karma Police]

It's very complicated, I'll try to explain it.

The current prime minister, Viktor Orban, has been in charge since 2010 and within those years several changes have been introduced that undermain democracy, strengthen the power of state, Orban's party's influence in state institutions, etc. They changed the constitution which resulted in the Constitutional Court losing any real power and I think there is even a provision which states that only state owned TV can cover campaigns.

Poalnd is doing the same, I see the patterns, they even use the same arguments to defend their choices.

Here is an article about Hungary from a month ago:

Democracy is on the brink in Hungary, so why is no one talking about it? | The Independent

The comment sections is a mess, no surprise there, one woman in the comment section thinks she's knowledgeable about Hungary and how great the country is because she spent 5 weeks there.

[la villanelle]

The way the UK have handled the poland/Hungary stuff is terrible. One of the only countries that won't condemn it.

[wickedrum]

Thanks for the update! Wasn't Orban Viktor progressive at one point in his early years in politics? He's changed so much?

[Karma Police]

Yeah, he used to be, around the fall of Communism. His party's name Fidesz means “young democrats” but they turned to nationalism/conservatism in the 90s. Today his politics/propaganda is very anti-Soros (wanted to shut down a university founded by him and had anti-Soros billboards up earlier this year) which is ironic considering he was the recipient of a Soros funded scholarship in the 80s.

Originally Posted by Indigo Five Alpha (View Post) The way the UK have handled the poland/Hungary stuff is terrible. One of the only countries that won't condemn it.

They won't do it because anti-EU governments fit right into the Brexit rhetoric but neither Poland nor Hungary is going to leave, we depend too much on the EU financially. They do everything they can to make the EU seem like some undemocratic villain but they are not going to want to acutally leave.

Back to something more positive and on topic, next week is Pride Week in the polish city Poznań, I won't be able to make it but some of my friends are going. Poznań is one of the best cities when it comes to diversity, the current President is very open-minded and wants the city to be as welcome to anybody, no matter their orientaiton/ethnicity/etc., as possible.

[la villanelle]

I'll be at earpercon tomorrow. See how many lesbians fit in a hotel

[wickedrum]

We have a Pride march in Glasgow here every year. I've been to it a couple of years ago, it was a lot of fun!

Thanks again for educating me on Eastern Europe politics! I should pay more attention in general.

[la villanelle]

I love pride. It's so important and the company I work for are such supporters of stonewall. So it's so important

[me and the sky]

I'm so sad I've not yet been able to go to Pride I was out of the country when they had it this year. It's so important, so maybe soon though!

[la villanelle]

Definitely try to go