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Margot (activist)

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Margot
Born1995 (age 29–30)
NationalityPolish
OccupationActivist
OrganizationStop Bzdurom

Małgorzata Szutowicz (born 1995[1]), widely known as Margot or Margo, is a Polish non-binary LGBTQIA activist and co-founder of the Stop Bzdurom collective.[2] The organisation is dedicated to saving queer kids from the consequences of disinformation about the LGBTQ community.[3] Margot is mostly known for being arrested and accused by the police for slashing the tires of a truck emblazoned with homophobic slogans used by Fundacja Pro [pl], covering it with paint, physically confronting the driver, and with other activists, decorating statues across Warsaw, including one of Jesus, with rainbow flags and pink face masks.[4]

Activities

According to Wprost investigation, in July 2018 Margot was involved in spray-painting the Sejm (lower chamber of the Polish parliament) and in November 2019 protested against giving an award to Roman Polański at a film festival which was taking place at the National Film School in Łódź.[5]

Stop Bzdurom (which in Polish means "Stop Nonsense", or "Stop Bullshit" as adopted by the organisation's English language website),[6][7][8] which she runs, is "a radical, queer collective". It was named in reaction to a proposed "Stop Paedophilia" bill that they viewed as being in large part against the LGBT community.[9][2]

On 27 June 2020,[10] a truck belonging to an anti-abortion foundation, Fundacja Pro [pl], emblazoned with homophobic and anti-abortion slogans, equipped with loudspeakers, was confronted by a group of left wing activists, who slashed the tyres, damaged a mirror, stole the number plate and physically assaulted the driver.[11][12] Margot was arrested for battery on 7 August 2020 and placed in police custody for a period of two months.[13][14] Following the arrest, various groups of people protested her incarceration, claiming it was politically motivated. As a result, 48 more people were arrested in an event referred to as Polish Stonewall.[4] She had been held in a detention facility in Płock, central Poland[2] and was released on 28 August.[15] Margot told the BBC that she only attempted to stop the truck driver from filming her with his mobile phone and did not assault him: "I wish I could have beat him up - but he was three or four times larger than me."[16]

In August 2020, dozens of writers, filmmakers and actors from various countries around the world signed an open letter decrying the oppression Margot and other activists had suffered.[17] Margot's activism has met with criticism from the vice-president of The Left's parliamentary club, Monika Pawłowska,[18] as well as commentators generally viewed as liberals or leftists, including philosopher Jan Hartman and editor-in-chief of Newsweek Polska, Tomasz Lis.[19][20] Margot was misgendered by Polish police, and right-wing politicians.[21][22] Some media outlets also use Szutowicz's masculine deadname, e.g. Onet.pl,[23] Radio Nowy Świat [pl].[24] The latter started using feminine name after backlash and threats of donations being cut off by its supporters. It also led to the resignation of the chairman Piotr Jedliński.[25][26]

On 4 September 2020, Margot was released from imprisonment after a successful legal appeal. Following her release, she posted a photograph holding up her middle finger and holding a scrabble sign saying "Poland, you preek [sic], stop arresting my Margot".[27] Margot, whose hunger strike in prison was suppressed by the authorities, stated she was willing to resume her hunger strike and die if it could counter Polish homophobia.[28] On 7 September 2020, a protest in support of Margot was held in front of the martyrdom monument at Old Market square, Bydgoszcz.[29]

Views

In a BBC interview in September 2020, Margot explained: "I want to show my community that we no longer have to live in fear [...] For years we've been asking for minimal provisions and legislation that would protect us - if not from discrimination, then at least from physical violence." Regarding whether violence was a valid method of resistance, she answered: "People who have not lived the lives of the LGBT community in this country shouldn't judge us [...] And nobody should be surprised if we are eventually forced to take things into our own hands."[16]

Personal life

In an interview with the Polish edition of Vogue, Margot revealed that she is currently writing her Bachelor of Arts (BA) thesis on Christian anarchism.[30]

Margot lives with a woman and is in a polyamorous relationship with her and a trans man.[31][32] While detained, Margot went on a hunger strike and requested a New Testament, later stating that Christianity is too serious a matter to be left in Polish Catholics' hands. Margot also stated that she is a Christian.[30][33]

See also

References

  1. ^ Żelazińska, Agata Szczerbiak, Aleksandra (10 September 2020). "Nie-Boska Margot. Kim chce teraz być?". www.polityka.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 17 September 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b c Roache, Madeline; Haynes, Suyin (11 August 2020). "#PolishStonewall: LGBTQ Activists Are Rallying Together After Police Violence at Protests in Warsaw". Time. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Stop Bzdurom - edukacja seksualna walczy z seksualizacją i pedofilią". Stop Bzdurom (in Polish). Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  4. ^ a b Nowak, Marta K. (7 August 2020). "Zatrzymanie Margo. Trwa łapanka obrońców aktywistki LGBT". oko.press (in Polish). Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  5. ^ Dobski, Marcin (13 August 2020). "Czego nie mówi się o Margot? Udział w akcji pomazania ściany Sejmu, protest przeciwko Polańskiemu". Wprost Premium (in Polish). Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Poland: Stop Bzdurom, Queer struggle and the events of yesterday in Warsaw". Freedom News. 8 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  7. ^ "We get messages saying: "What are you doing, they're going to hate us because of you"". oko.press. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  8. ^ Bukłaha, Zuzanna (5 August 2020). "LGBTQ activists arrested over hanging rainbow flags on statues in Warsaw. They might be facing charges for offending religious feelings". wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  9. ^ Preiss, Danielle (19 August 2020). "Polish activists fight against anti-LGBT movement". The World from PRX. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  10. ^ Knight, Kyle; Dam, Philippe (12 August 2020). "Poland Punishes LGBT Rights Activist with Pretrial Detention". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Aktywiści LGBT utrudniają policji działania ws. zatrzymania "Margot"" (in Polish). TVP Info. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  12. ^ Metcalfe, Percy (12 August 2020). ""No apologies, no shame": the rise of Poland's guerrilla LGBT activists". Notes From Poland. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  13. ^ "What's Next for Poland's LGBTQ Activists After Violent Protests".
  14. ^ "Poland Punishes LGBT Rights Activist with Pretrial Detention". 12 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Sąd zwolnił Margot z aresztu". Onet.pl (in Polish). 28 August 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  16. ^ a b Ash, Lucy (20 September 2020). "Inside Poland's 'LGBT-free zones'". BBC News. Retrieved 21 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Stars sign open letter supporting Polish LGBT rights". BBC News. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Monika Jaruzelska ostro o Margot: to ideologiczny Kalibabka". msn.com (in Polish). 31 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  19. ^ "Margot, nie spieprz tego!". Loose Blues (hartman.blog.polityka.pl) (in Polish). 29 August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  20. ^ Czajka-Kominiarczuk, Katarzyna (31 August 2020). "Spór o środkowy palec Margot. Sypią się gromy i dobre rady". www.polityka.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  21. ^ https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/spoleczenstwo/1966786,1,margot-w-areszcie-komisarz-praw-czlowieka-re-mrozacy-sygnal.read Margot w areszcie. Komisarz praw człowieka RE: Mrożący sygnał
  22. ^ "Psycholog o Margot: Nazywanie jej mężczyzną to przemoc. Stąd się biorą zachowania samobójcze osób LGBT". wyborcza.pl (in Polish). 15 August 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Za co aresztowano Michała Sz. ps. "Margot"". onet.pl (in Polish). 7 August 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  24. ^ "Po krytyce Radio Nowy Świat zaczęło określać Michała Sz. "Margot" jako kobietę, udziałowcy odcięli się od założyciela stacji" (in Polish). 10 August 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  25. ^ "Były prezes Radia Nowy Świat: rezygnację sugerował mi Sosnowski, Jethon przeniosła najgorsze wzorce z Trójki" (in Polish). 14 August 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  26. ^ "Zmiany w Radiu Nowy Świat. Piotr Jedliński zrezygnował z funkcji prezesa" (in Polish). 10 August 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  27. ^ Claudia Ciobanu; Edit Inotai; Miroslava German Sirotnikova; Tim Gosling (4 September 2020). "Democracy Digest: A JFK Moment in Taiwan and an Acquittal in Slovakia". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  28. ^ Savage, Rachel (3 September 2020). "LGBT+ activist behind 'Polish Stonewall' not afraid to die". Reuters. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  29. ^ "Kolorowym tańcem poparli Margot. Happening LGBT na Starym Rynku". wyborcza.pl (in Polish). 8 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  30. ^ a b Polska, Vogue (1 September 2020). "Tylko u nas: Margot w pierwszym wywiadzie po wyjściu z aresztu". Vogue Polska (in Polish). Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  31. ^ Krawczyk, David (12 August 2020). "Przed aresztowaniem poprosiła o Biblię. Kim jest słynna Margot?". wyborcza.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  32. ^ "Margot: Nie będę grzeczna, nie chcę być symbolem". polityka.pl (in Polish). 2 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020. A teraz mam dwie takie osoby – Łanię i Lu, mojego partnera.
  33. ^ "Margot: To także mój Chrystus". magazynkontakt.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
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