![]() But their reception, even from the most prominent members of society, has been anything but a universal embrace. ![]() Poland’s first openly gay and transgender members of Parliament were elected in 2011. Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court last month expanded adoption rights for gay couples. France’s lower house passed a bill last month that will grant the right to marry to same-sex couples if the upper house approves it in April, as expected. The debate over gay rights has gathered steam in Europe over the past year. Stanislaw Pieta, a member of Parliament from the conservative Law and Justice Party, the main opposition faction in Poland, called the placement of the rainbow on a grassy circle in front of the church a “disgusting gesture, offensive to Catholics.” He added, “It’s a provocation.”Īlthough city officials and the artist, Julita Wojcik, say the rainbow is not a monument to gay rights, both its supporters and opponents find they can agree on what the rainbow symbolizes. Since its June installation in the square - a busy crossing place for trams that also has a famous church and a buzzing bar and cafe scene - the rainbow has been set on fire four times and come under attack from right-wing politicians and Web sites. What was intended as a work of public art without an overt political message beyond the need for inclusiveness, according to the artist behind it, has instead become part of a culture war over homosexuality that has been brewing in one of Europe’s most Catholic countries. WARSAW - The 30-foot-tall rainbow sculpture in downtown Savior Square here is looking somewhat the worse for wear these days, half covered in patches of artificial flowers and half bare from being set on fire.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |