We’re Stop Bzdurom („Stop Bullshit”) – we’re a radical, feminist and queer collective. We work for LGBTQ+ – smart, educated, brave, and most of all- with a causative power. We differ from the rest of  LGBTQ+ groups in Poland on account of our unapologetic nature which neither TVP.info ( “News” station affiliated with the government), nor the rest of right-wing would dare to dream about. Everything we’ve done here results from the anger in response to the cruel, harmful, iIl-conceived actions of the fanatics.  You can learn more on our fb, by watching videos on our YouTube or by reading this whip-round.

RECENT EVENTS:

On the morning of July 14, police in plain cothes came to the flat in which Margot stayed in as a guest. They first threatened to bust the door, and when they were let in they didn’t give a reason  for their intrusion, nor allowed their information to be written down. Then they brutally dragged Margot out of the flat in her pyjamas (without shoes, socks or a sweatshirt), and took her to an unmarked car, threatening her with abuse and death, calling her a f*ggot and a loser. Only after countless of people and NGOs intervened, did the D.A. reveal that Margot was charged in connection with the destruction  of a homophobic truck. The activist was held up all night, and released the next day by the court, without arrest. 

OUR STORY:

The beginings of our group take place in the spring of  2019. We stopped next to the Foundation Pro (close affiliates of Ordo Iuris- organisation led by extremaly influential people in  Polish catholic church), which pits people against the LGBTQ+ community, compares it to paedophilia, fights for the penalisation of abortion and a complete ban of sex ed. Totallly screwed up – we couldn’t let this slide. 

We organized a series of dancing protests in response to the homophobic tents in Warsaw’s downtown. With our friends, acquintances and people we just met, we partied to the queerest of the songs. With music and shoutings we drowned out the harmful messeges of the Foundation Pro. We showed that there is no space for homophobia and hate. We also showed that we’re here - and when we get there it’s with fun and colours.

We explained, that homosexuality does not equal paedophilia, that sex ed is OK. We’ve had a thousand conversations explaining the benefits of sex ed as means to fight sexual abuse and rape of underage people. We’ve made a website explaining the lies and manipulations of Fundation Pro, distributed leaflets and explained the manipulations on site.

Our last protest of this kind-organised with the QueerTour collective - in response to the homophobic  statements of Polish president Andrzej Duda („LGBT aren’t people, it’s an ideology”) was called  Provocation of the LGBT ideology – was huge!

During our actions we faced police brutality multiple times - on the first day one of us was brutally thrown to the ground by the cops, handcuffed and taken to the police station. Her case was taken up by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. The D.A’s office doesn’t like us very much, because they ignore our complaints about police brutality, but they would gladly f*ck us up. 

Stickers:

We provided queer kids with stickers multiple times – absolutely for free. We supported more than 2 thousand places in Poland and distributed over 50 thousand stickers. You can see them - at least we hope so – everywhere. Until now, we’ve made about 30 custom pieces - but many of the best still await their publication.

What are our plans?

As a collective we would like to discuss the topic of internalised homophobia and transphobia within the LGBTQ+ community. We’d like to fight some of the problems plaguing our community (inaction, hiding, fear, loneliness). We know we live in a sad reality, and that’s what gives us the power  to go forward. No more day longer in the closet. We fight with the passive discourse in our community.

What is this whip-round for?

Nobody pays us for our work, we invested our own funds, and we spend our own, unpaid time pouring over reports, reaserch papers and bullsh*t laws.We’re having a lot of fun, but we need your support to keep it up. We can’t do this on our own. 

1. We need money to pay the lawyers helping Margot in court - this is urgent.
2. We have filed a complaint about the actions of the police - you can support us financially so that the lawyers take care of the case.
3. We are planning a counter to the action of the Pro Foundation and its vans (as opposed to the actions of the Pro Foundation - legal and non-infringing). We will organize our own car that will not make homophobic voices.
4. We plan one of the largest reprints of stickers in the history of LGBTQ groups, sending them to thousands of people in Poland, and supporting other activist groups with the income - these are the plans for upcoming months.
5. We could use some cash for printing the leaflets, posters, the upkeep of our website and broadly understood improving our actions. This money will support our daily survival and basic needs (food, meds, bills) too.

Here is where we come to you for help. To work, we have to have something to work with - unfortunately, yelling sometimes doesn’t suffice.

Foto:

LAPP FOTO, AP.ART, Kubis, JohnBoB&SophieArt and Spacerowiczka we love you.

[Of course, we do not encourage or persuade you to break the law.]