The truth eventually comes out at some point in every deception. Continuing on this series about our friends in Poland prior to writing this we surfed the official "Parada Rownosci" (Equality Parade.) Our discoveries amused and irritated us. Shame on them for blatantly lying and working hard against other officers on the board and fracturing the GLBT community. Oppression by society is one thing but to oppress and exploit your "own" is wrong. We’re waiting anxiously for the international GLBT community to "step-up" and say - ENOUGH! It has taken an unholy alliance by a co-founder ignored since 2005, to advocate an investigation. Poland's government, after several months of review took its discoveries to court. The "Equality Foundation" officers stand accused of malfeasances which erode public trust and future GLBT supporters.
The first happening with LGBT people representation took place in Poland in 1998, when three masked people stood on the Castle Square. Nobody seven thought that a gay and lesbian openair festival could be organised in Warsaw.
The author failed to mention that Szymon Niemiec was one of the "three" individuals. Ironically Szymon recites and has told this story during many interviews as well as in his autobiography along with the facts that he was assigned to cover the announced manifestation as professional a newspaper journalist. With all of Poland's professional news organizations present expecting a large crowd, Szymon decided to join the two young men - he came out. The next ay he was terminated from his employment, there were no anti-discrimination laws in Poland at that time to protect him or anyone.
After all those events the responsible for the parade – ILGCN Poland and two other important Polish organisations – Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH) and Lambda Warszawa decided to create a new structure for the organisation of the Equality Days – the Equality Foundation.
It's ironic that they include the importance of ILGCN Poland without mention of teh fact that "Equality Parade" was started by ILGCN Polska and it is a "absent" member of the executive board of directors because they ran roughshod over Szymon Niemiec who became ill and was hospitalized for several months shortly are agreeing to established the Equality Foundation. They isolated Szymon and ILGCN Poland from all business deliberation from his hospitalization in 2005 until present. It's amazing how one forgets. Legally the foundation cannot eixst under Polish and international lawas without participation of ILGCN Polska, but they have collecting tens of thousands of dollars/euros -- illegally.
The Polish parade want to affirm the tradition of Christopher Street Day. The Equality Foundation is a member of Interpride and its European partner – EPOA; both of the organisations support the parades which took place all around the world. We are far away from the successes of the CSD in Berlin, but it was impossible to make 20 years in 5 years only;). We believe that one day the Warsaw parade will become one of the most important in the world.
Sorry to be the ones to tell the "Equality Foundation" officers who coordinate the "Equality Parade" but "Christopher Street Day" you ain't.