Poland made headlines around the world when, in 2019, a number of towns and cities declared themselves ‘LGBT Free Zones’. This followed a declaration by the mayor of Warsaw that his city is always open and welcoming to all.
Young activists were at the forefront of the campaign against these zones, and in Lublin the campaign was led by Alicja, who was then aged just 18. Such was the strength of her campaign and her personal determination, she featured in news, films and documentaries around the world. The same year she organised the first Pride in her city, faced death threats and was assaulted, yet continued to travel across Poland to take Pride to cities that had supposed ‘LGBT Free Zones’.
Seven years on, the LGBT Free Zones are gone – and declared illegal by the European Court – and Alicja has met the love of her life, and she is now her wife. In her Pride: out Loud! talk, Alicja will tell the astonishing story of her activism and her life, and her hopes for the future for LGBTQIA+ people in rural Poland.