This Parade Is Proudly Walking Until Anti-LGBT+ Laws Change in Poland

At least 32 areas in Poland still called themselves ‘LGBT-free zones’ in 2022. The LGBT+ community was simply not welcome there, and any LGBT-related activity was forbidden according to local law. To support regional communities in these places, Polish activists in cooperation with 180heartbeats + Jung v Matt, outsmarted the local governments on their own turf and organised virtual pride parades. Now that the law has been cancelled in three areas, the marches move forward raising money for offline parades to be held across all unwelcoming zones.

In 2019, Polish local governments began to collectively pass resolutions that exclude non-heteronormative people from their local communities. The so-called anti-LGBT resolutions are still in force in dozens of municipalities and districts across the country. According to the research carried out by KPH, 12% of the LGBT+ community (140 000 out of 2 million) are planning to move out of Poland. A third of them mention the experience of discrimination due to belonging to the LGBT+ community as the reason for leaving. The equality marches organised in the metaverse by KPH are a form of opposition to the discriminatory resolutions and, at the same time, an expression of support for LGBT+ people living in the mentioned regions.

NGO organisations, including Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH), postulate that everyone should be able to organise an equality march wherever people want to express themselves and speak out for themselves – which, in itself, is guaranteed by the Polish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. Therefore, KPH in cooperation with 180heartbeats + Jung v Matt, has created an initiative - THE IMPOSSIBLE PARADE, marches in the metaverse in 32 municipalities where the so-called anti-LGBT resolutions are in force. Augmented reality is a developing sphere that NGOs see as a space for manifestation where absurd, homophobic law does not apply.

In 2022, to organise the first geographically based AR metaverse, OVR, The Campaign Against Homophobia, bought locations in 32 cities and villages in Poland. As the owners of the land, KPH could organise pride parades that walked on the streets of these municipalities. The parades are designed to walk as long as hurtful resolutions do not disappear in a given location. Additionally, to gain traction in the legislative process, KPH bought the address where the Polish Senate resides. The virtual demonstration could be seen right in front of the parliament building.

Three towns in the Lublin Province, known for the highest density of 'LGBT-free zones' just recently gave up their anti-LGBT resolution, which lowered the count from 32 to 29 unwelcoming regions.

But the fight doesn't end there. The characters from the activation get a second life as NFTs. All 32 heroes from THE IMPOSSIBLE PARADE, representing 32 regions, found their place on the biggest NFT platform (OpenSea), raising money for offline parades to be held across all unwelcoming towns. As the second part of the campaign, the agency decided to deepen virtual activism by adding tokens to the wallets of celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Serena Williams, and Shaquille O'Neal. 180heartbeats +JVM hopes that their NFTs from THE IMPOSSIBLE PARADE will provide more momentum to the discussion on equalizing the rights of minorities in Poland.