In a residential area on the outskirts of Warsaw, the melodic strumming of a ukulele fills the air as 5-year-old Olek serenades his 2-year-old sister, Jagienka, who joins in with enthusiastic, albeit slightly off-key, singing.
Their mothers, Ola and Karolina, observe the harmonious scene with smiles, savoring the sounds of familial joy. Yet, despite the warmth within their home, this family lacks legal protection under Polish law.
Embarking on their journey into parenthood as a same-sex couple, Ola and Karolina, who prefer to withhold their surnames for privacy reasons, share a steadfast hope for change. “From the outset of building our family, we were aware of the challenges ahead, but we remained hopeful,” Karolina reflects. “During the elections last October, we reassured each other, ‘We are on the cusp of making a difference.'”
Karolina and Ola, partners for 11 years, navigate the complexities of parenthood, with Ola being the biological mother of Olek and Jagienka. With Poland’s newly installed liberal government, the couple sees a glimmer of hope for legal recognition through civil unions. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has pledged to prioritize this issue within the government’s first 100 days, with discussions on a bill to legalize civil unions slated for March.
Their aspiration is not rooted in lavish weddings but in securing equal rights — the same rights afforded to married couples. “Our dream is to establish a legally recognized family under Polish law,” Karolina asserts.
However, the journey toward civil unions in Poland has been arduous, particularly under the previous administration led by the Law and Justice party. Bart Staszewski, a Polish civil rights activist, notes the party’s adversarial stance toward the LGBTQ+ community, viewing them as a societal menace.
Illustrating the harsh reality faced by same-sex couples, Staszewski recounts the plight of a Polish couple married in the UK who must carry a trove of documents, including marriage and birth certificates, whenever returning to Poland to safeguard against potential legal ramifications.
Despite recent strides, including the invitation of Staszewski to a prominent news program, acknowledging past misrepresentations of LGBTQ+ individuals, challenges persist. Staszewski advocates for legislative measures to combat hate speech and ensure legal protections for same-sex couples.
For Ola, Karolina, and their children, the fight for recognition and equality continues. “Can you hear our children calling for us?” Karolina asks. “In the eyes of Polish law, they remain strangers to me. Yet, to them, we are their entire world. I am their mother, and they are my children.”
The quest for legal recognition, Karolina emphasizes, is the next pivotal step in their journey.