Poland's first transsexual and gay MPs to be sworn in - Polidicks

[release][IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/56548000/jpg/_56548393_013255597-1.jpg[/IMG] [B]Poland's first transsexual member of parliament is to be sworn in on Tuesday, in what has traditionally been a socially conservative country.[/B] Fifty-seven-year-old Anna Grodzka was previously a man, known as Krzysztof, before having surgery in Thailand. Poland's first openly gay MP will also be sworn in, following the general election in October. Analysts say the electoral success of the party they both represent is a sign of the waning influence of the Church. The party, the Palikot Movement, has taken a strong anti-clerical stance, criticizing Roman Catholic priests who get involved in politics. It surprised many observers by winning 10% of the vote in the general election, making it the third largest political grouping in the Polish parliament. Palikot campaigned for the legalisation of abortion, gay marriage and marijuana. Many people have argued that its success shows the Roman Catholic hierarchy is out of touch with Polish youth. "It's a real signal, especially about young people, that the form of religion presented sometimes in Poland by the Catholic Church is not well addressed to young people," says Maciej Zieba, the former head of the Dominican Order. "Obviously it's a challenge, it's a problem - not how to fight with anti-clericalism but how to preach the Gospel." Anna Grodzka says the response to her election has been mixed. "When I've met people on the streets I've mainly had a favourable reaction." "Of course there's also been aggressive behaviour too," she says. "It's been a little worse in political and media circles that don't always understand the problems of transsexual issues and they try to use the fact I was a man against me." Robert Biedron, Poland's first openly gay lawmaker, has said he will campaign for legislation to tackle discrimination against gay and transsexual people in Poland, and to legalise civil unions for gay couples.[/release] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15630789[/url] Meanwhile in USA.......[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15630789"][/URL]

[QUOTE=Ignhelper;33176922] Meanwhile in USA......[/QUOTE] idk what you're talking about, there are dozens of LGBT politicians in the united states

[QUOTE=TropicalV2;33176996]idk what you're talking about, there are dozens of LGBT politicians in the united states[/QUOTE] And those are only the outspoken ones.

I love how Poland is more progressive than the USA

Hideous. I'm sure they're very nice however.

[QUOTE=Cuntsman;33177045]I love how Poland is more progressive than the USA[/QUOTE] wtf no, god damn it

I don't see the significance in this. She's a gay tranny. Does this affect her ability to do political shit? No.

[QUOTE=RIPBILLYMAYS;33177164]I don't see the significance in this. She's a gay tranny. Does this affect her ability to do political shit? No.[/QUOTE]No, but it does have the potential to impact voter opinion of her. If she got in while being open and out (which I would assume, because theres an entire article on the subject), then that must be a sign of growing attitudes of acceptance and tolerance, which isnt a bad thing.

Wait what. How come I hear about this just now.

If we're trying to be more progressive, it shouldn't even matter that they're gay.

[QUOTE=Cuntsman;33177045]I love how Poland is more progressive than the USA[/QUOTE] I love how people from the USA apparently have no idea what's going on in their own country

[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;33177482]I love how people from the USA apparently have no idea what's going on in their own country[/QUOTE] Facepunch is afraid to go outside so everything they know about America is from Sensationalist Headlines.

Um you're crazy if you think gays are more often accepted in America, last polls only had 50% approval. And I live in California goddammit, that's a very liberal state. And gay and tranny? Isn't that redundant? After all we insist on obnoxiously separating gender from sex, so that makes your sex limited to a dong or a hole.

[QUOTE=Cuntsman;33177045]I love how the USA is less progressive than almost everybody[/QUOTE] Fixed.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;33177649]Um you're crazy if you think gays are more often accepted in America, last polls only had 50% approval. And I live in California goddammit, that's a very liberal state. And gay and tranny? Isn't that redundant? After all we insist on obnoxiously separating gender from sex, so that makes your sex limited to a dong or a hole.[/QUOTE] "obnoxiously separating gender from sex" lmao. sorry you find standard practice "obnoxious" [editline]7th November 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=RIPBILLYMAYS;33177164]I don't see the significance in this. She's a gay tranny. Does this affect her ability to do political shit? No.[/QUOTE] do you really not see the significance of a transsexual being elected to a position of high power in a country that is traditionally conservative?

Compared to America, everywhere is liberal. I live in San Diego though, and that is conservative place, we boo'd out our OWS protesters IIRC.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;33177728]Compared to America, everywhere is liberal.[/QUOTE] Yeah I'm thinking of moving to Iran to escape the conservative nature of America

[QUOTE=The Baconator;33177728]Compared to America, everywhere is liberal. I live in San Diego though, and that is conservative place, we boo'd out our OWS protesters IIRC.[/QUOTE] Sounds like you don't anything about America or anywhere else for that matter I live in fucking Tennessee and you got gay people flaming all over the place in more urban areas

[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;33178225]Sounds like you don't anything about America or anywhere else for that matter I live in fucking Tennessee and you got gay people flaming all over the place in more urban areas[/QUOTE] Well duh but that doesn't mean they are accepted.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;33177649]Um you're crazy if you think gays are more often accepted in America, last polls only had 50% approval.[/QUOTE] Gays have a 50% approval rating? It's good to know that we rate human beings and government organizations the same way.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;33178649]Well duh but that doesn't mean they are accepted.[/QUOTE] Homophobes are everywhere and the fact that we're just now seeing Poland make this step, means that they've probably had more problems with it than us

[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;33178746]Homophobes are everywhere and the fact that we're just now seeing Poland make this step, means that they've probably had more problems with it than us[/QUOTE]Considering that Poland is pretty much hardcore Catholic, yeah. I agree with you, this shit is NOT new for the United States. Minnesotan here, we don't give a fuck if you're gay.

[QUOTE=Raidyr;33177518]Facepunch is afraid to go outside so everything they know about America is from Sensationalist Headlines.[/QUOTE] Whenever I leave my house I see hillbillies fucking under trees

[QUOTE=Raidyr;33177518]Facepunch is afraid to go outside so everything they know about America is from Sensationalist Headlines.[/QUOTE]lat time i read news about my state, it was about some diot who blew himself up making meth in the back of his honda. Florida.

[QUOTE=JumpinJackFlash;33178893]Considering that Poland is pretty much hardcore Catholic, yeah. I agree with you, this shit is NOT new for the United States. Minnesotan here, we don't give a fuck if you're gay.[/QUOTE] And that's why they can't get married, because everyone just doesn't give a fuck.

[QUOTE=Cuntsman;33178904]Whenever I leave my house I see hillbillies fucking under trees[/QUOTE] I see your schizophrenia has deteriorated into full-on hallucinations.

[QUOTE=Megafanx13;33179015]And that's why they can't get married, because everyone just doesn't give a fuck.[/QUOTE]Our politicians are more or less evenly split on the issue and have been since the 60's. Why are you bringing this up, by the way?

We also have a Nigerian in our parliament [url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/8187102/Polish-parliament-welcomes-first-black-MP.html[/url] [img]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01780/John_Godson_1780287c.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=JumpinJackFlash;33179080]Our politicians are more or less evenly split on the issue and have been since the 60's. Why are you bringing this up, by the way?[/QUOTE] Because it has to do with civil rights and by extension representation?

Poland has also abolished the death penalty, gay marriage isn't legal but gay sex has never been illegal under Polish law (most other countries it has, including the United States), and gays have been able to serve in the military longer than they have in the United States It's a deeply religious country and the attitudes of the public are conservative but government policy is actually quite progressive