Margot Szutowicz: Difference between revisions

| pronouns=[[she/her]]<ref name="Roeder">{{Cite web |title=Poland's LGBTQ activists confront growing crackdown |last=Roeder |first=Kaela |work=Los Angeles Blade: America's LGBT News Source |date=14 August 2020 |access-date=22 November 2020 |url= https://www.losangelesblade.com/2020/08/14/polands-lgbtq-activists-confront-growing-crackdown/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601153009/https://www.losangelesblade.com/2020/08/14/polands-lgbtq-activists-confront-growing-crackdown/ |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>, [[Gender_neutral_language_in_Polish#Pronouns|ona/jej]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/margot-na-oddziale-dla-mezczyzn-to-nie-powinno-miec-miejsca/r537p51|title=Mówiła o niej cała Polska. Siedzi w męskim areszcie. Wiemy, jak wygląda jej sytuacja|date=20 August 2020|quote= osoby niebinarnej używających żeńskich zaimków|language=pl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422092448/http://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/margot-na-oddziale-dla-mezczyzn-to-nie-powinno-miec-miejsca/r537p51|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

| gender=[[nonbinary]]<ref name="Roeder" /><ref name="Roache">{{Cite web |title=What's Next for Poland's LGBTQ Activists After Violent Protests |last=Roache |first=Madeline |work=Time |date=11 August 2020 |access-date=22 November 2020 |url= https://time.com/5878424/poland-lgbt-protests-police-brutality/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606062428/https://time.com/5878424/poland-lgbt-protests-police-brutality/ |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>

'''Margot Szutowicz''' is a Polish [[LGBTQ]] [[activism|activist]], one of the founders of the "Stop Bzdurom" ("Bzdurom" meaning "nonsense" or "bullshit"), a radical, queer, [[feminist]] direct action group. As of late 2020, Margot has become a figurehead of Poland's LGBTQ rights movement.<ref name="Preiss">{{Cite web |title=Polish activists fight against anti-LGBT movement |last=Preiss |first=Danielle |work=The World from PRX |date=19 August 2020 |access-date=22 November 2020 |url= https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-08-19/polish-activists-fight-against-anti-lgbt-movement|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808091109/https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-08-19/polish-activists-fight-against-anti-lgbt-movement |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dobski|first=Marcin|date=13 August 2020|title=Czego nie mówi się o Margot? Udział w akcji pomazania ściany Sejmu, protest przeciwko Polańskiemu|url=https://premium.wprost.pl/10352676/czego-nie-mowi-sie-o-margot-udzial-w-akcji-pomazania-sciany-sejmu-protest-przeciwko-polanskiemu.html|access-date=5 September 2020|website=Wprost Premium|language=pl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017224225/https://premium.wprost.pl/10352676/czego-nie-mowi-sie-o-margot-udzial-w-akcji-pomazania-sciany-sejmu-protest-przeciwko-polanskiemu.html|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

Stop Bzdurom,<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 August 2020|title=Poland: Stop Bzdurom, Queer struggle and the events of yesterday in Warsaw|url=https://freedomnews.org.uk/poland-stop-bzdurom-queer-struggle-and-the-events-of-yesterday/|access-date=24 August 2020|website=Freedom News|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205142604/https://freedomnews.org.uk/poland-stop-bzdurom-queer-struggle-and-the-events-of-yesterday/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=9 August 2020|title=We get messages saying: "What are you doing, they're going to hate us because of you"|url=https://oko.press/what-are-you-doing-theyre-going-to-hate-us-because-of-you/|access-date=24 August 2020|website=oko.press|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207001838/https://oko.press/what-are-you-doing-theyre-going-to-hate-us-because-of-you|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bukłaha|first=Zuzanna|date=5 August 2020|title=LGBTQ activists arrested over hanging rainbow flags on statues in Warsaw. They might be facing charges for offending religious feelings|url=https://wyborcza.pl/7,173236,26185017,lgbtq-activists-arrested-over-hanging-rainbow-flags-on-statues.html|website=wyborcza.pl|language=en|access-date=8 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808091112/https://wyborcza.pl/7,173236,26185017,lgbtq-activists-arrested-over-hanging-rainbow-flags-on-statues.html|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Preiss" /><ref name="Roache"/>

On 27 June 2020,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Knight|first1=Kyle|last2=Dam|first2=Philippe|date=12 August 2020|title=Poland Punishes LGBT Rights Activist with Pretrial Detention|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/12/poland-punishes-lgbt-rights-activist-pretrial-detention|publisher=Human Rights Watch|access-date=22 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606091442/https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/12/poland-punishes-lgbt-rights-activist-pretrial-detention|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> a truck belonging to an anti-abortion foundation, Fundacja Pro, emblazoned with homophobic and anti-abortion slogans, equipped with loudspeakers, was confronted by a group of activists who slashed the tyres, damaged a mirror, stole the number plate and physically assaulted the driver.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Aktywiści LGBT utrudniają policji działania ws. zatrzymania "Margot"|url=http://www.tvp.info/49320151/aktywisci-lgbt-utrudniaja-policji-dzialania-ws-zatrzymania-margot|date=7 August 2020|publisher=TVP Info|language=pl|access-date=8 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007031921/https://www.tvp.info/49320151/aktywisci-lgbt-utrudniaja-policji-dzialania-ws-zatrzymania-margot|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Metcalfe|first=Percy|date=12 August 2020|title="No apologies, no shame": the rise of Poland's guerrilla LGBT activists|url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2020/08/12/no-apologies-no-shame-the-rise-of-polands-guerrilla-lgbt-activists/|access-date=22 August 2020|website=Notes From Poland|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606044930/https://notesfrompoland.com/2020/08/12/no-apologies-no-shame-the-rise-of-polands-guerrilla-lgbt-activists/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> Margot was arrested for battery on 7 August 2020 and placed in police custody for a period of two months.<ref>https://time.com/5878424/poland-lgbt-protests-police-brutality/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230606062428/https://time.com/5878424/poland-lgbt-protests-police-brutality/ Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/12/poland-punishes-lgbt-rights-activist-pretrial-detention [https://web.archive.org/web/20230606091442/https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/12/poland-punishes-lgbt-rights-activist-pretrial-detention Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> 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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Nowak|first=Marta K.|date=7 August 2020|title=Zatrzymanie Margo. Trwa łapanka obrońców aktywistki LGBT|url=https://oko.press/trwa-lapanka-obroncow-aktywistke-lgbt/|website=oko.press|language=pl|access-date=8 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401203753/https://oko.press/trwa-lapanka-obroncow-aktywistke-lgbt|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> She had been held in a detention facility in Płock, central Poland<ref name="Roache"/> and was released on 28 August.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sąd zwolnił Margot z aresztu |url=https://www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/sad-zwolnil-margot-z-aresztu/j1w73tt,79cfc278 |date=28 August 2020 |website=Onet.pl |language=pl |access-date=7 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208140123/https://www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/sad-zwolnil-margot-z-aresztu/j1w73tt,79cfc278 |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref> 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."<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Ash|first=Lucy|date=20 September 2020|title=Inside Poland’s 'LGBT-free zones'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-54191344|url-status=live|access-date=21 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628195444/https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-54191344|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53818948|title=Stars sign open letter supporting Polish LGBT rights|date=18 August 2020|publisher=BBC News|access-date=27 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208060550/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53818948|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> Margot's activism has met with criticism from the vice-president of The Left's parliamentary club, Monika Pawłowska,<ref>{{Cite web|date=31 August 2020|title=Monika Jaruzelska ostro o Margot: to ideologiczny Kalibabka|url=https://www.msn.com/pl-pl/wiadomosci/polska/monika-jaruzelska-ostro-o-margot-to-ideologiczny-kalibabka/ar-BB18B5tR|access-date=1 September 2020|website=msn.com|language=pl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808091254/https://www.msn.com/pl-pl/wiadomosci/polska/monika-jaruzelska-ostro-o-margot-to-ideologiczny-kalibabka/ar-BB18B5tR|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> as well as commentators generally viewed as liberals or leftists, including philosopher Jan Hartman and editor-in-chief of ''Newsweek Polska'', Tomasz Lis.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Margot, nie spieprz tego!|url=https://hartman.blog.polityka.pl/2020/08/29/margot-nie-spieprz-tego/|date=29 August 2020|website=Loose Blues (hartman.blog.polityka.pl)|language=pl-PL|access-date=8 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203050352/https://hartman.blog.polityka.pl/2020/08/29/margot-nie-spieprz-tego/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Czajka-Kominiarczuk|first=Katarzyna|date=31 August 2020|title=Spór o środkowy palec Margot. Sypią się gromy i dobre rady|url=https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/spoleczenstwo/1969566,1,spor-o-srodkowy-palec-margot-sypia-sie-gromy-i-dobre-rady.read|access-date=1 September 2020|website=www.polityka.pl|language=pl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708225056/https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/spoleczenstwo/1969566,1,spor-o-srodkowy-palec-margot-sypia-sie-gromy-i-dobre-rady.read|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> Margot was misgendered by Polish police, right-wing journalists, and right-wing politicians.<ref>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 [https://web.archive.org/web/20230331053751/https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/spoleczenstwo/1966786,1,margot-w-areszcie-komisarz-praw-czlowieka-re-mrozacy-sygnal.read Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://poznan.wyborcza.pl/poznan/7,36001,26197165,psycholog-o-sprawie-margot-nazywanie-jej-mezczyzna-to-przemoc.html |title=Psycholog o Margot: Nazywanie jej mężczyzną to przemoc. Stąd się biorą zachowania samobójcze osób LGBT |date=15 August 2020 |website=wyborcza.pl |language=pl |access-date=7 September 2020 |url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331075142/http://poznan.wyborcza.pl/poznan/7,36001,26197165,psycholog-o-sprawie-margot-nazywanie-jej-mezczyzna-to-przemoc.html |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>

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".<ref>{{cite web|author1=Claudia Ciobanu|author2=Edit Inotai|author3=Miroslava German Sirotnikova|author4=Tim Gosling|date=4 September 2020|title=Democracy Digest: A JFK Moment in Taiwan and an Acquittal in Slovakia|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2020/09/04/democracy-digest-a-jfk-moment-in-taiwan-and-an-acquittal-in-slovakia|website=Balkan Insight|access-date=7 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808091254/https://balkaninsight.com/2020/09/04/democracy-digest-a-jfk-moment-in-taiwan-and-an-acquittal-in-slovakia/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Savage|first=Rachel|date=3 September 2020|title=LGBT+ activist behind 'Polish Stonewall' not afraid to die|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-lgbt-rights/lgbt-activist-behind-polish-stonewall-not-afraid-to-die-idUSKBN25U2IN|publisher=Reuters|access-date=7 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808091257/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-lgbt-rights/lgbt-activist-behind-polish-stonewall-not-afraid-to-die-idUSKBN25U2IN|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> On 7 September 2020, a protest in support of Margot was held in front of the martyrdom monument at Old Market square, Bydgoszcz.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bydgoszcz.wyborcza.pl/bydgoszcz/7,48722,26279389,kolorowym-tancem-poparli-margot-happening-lgbt-na-starym-rynku.html |title=Kolorowym tańcem poparli Margot. Happening LGBT na Starym Rynku |date=8 September 2020 |website=wyborcza.pl |language=pl |access-date=8 September 2020|archive-url=False |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>

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."<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Ash|first=Lucy|date=20 September 2020|title=Inside Poland’s 'LGBT-free zones'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-54191344|url-status=live|access-date=21 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628195444/https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-54191344|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

In an interview with the Polish edition of ''Vogue'', Margot revealed that she is currently writing her Bachelor of Arts thesis on Christian anarchism.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Polska|first=Vogue|date=1 September 2020|title=Tylko u nas: Margot w pierwszym wywiadzie po wyjściu z aresztu|url=https://www.vogue.pl/a/margot-ze-stop-bzdurom-nie-mam-czasu-sie-bac|access-date=1 September 2020|website=Vogue Polska|language=pl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326215837/https://www.vogue.pl/a/margot-ze-stop-bzdurom-nie-mam-czasu-sie-bac|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>  

Margot lives with Łania Madej and is in a polyamorous relationship with Łania and a [[trans man]] named Lu.<ref name=wyborcza20200812>{{cite web |url=https://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,54420,26204578,przed-aresztowaniem-poprosila-o-biblie-kim-jest-slynna-margot.html |title=Przed aresztowaniem poprosiła o Biblię. Kim jest słynna Margot? |last=Krawczyk |first=David |date=12 August 2020 |language=pl |website=wyborcza.pl |publisher= |access-date=8 September 2020 |quote=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010053845/https://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,54420,26204578,przed-aresztowaniem-poprosila-o-biblie-kim-jest-slynna-margot.html |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/spoleczenstwo/1969864,1,margot-nie-bede-grzeczna-nie-chce-byc-symbolem.read |title=Margot: Nie będę grzeczna, nie chcę być symbolem |quote=A teraz mam dwie takie osoby – Łanię i Lu, mojego partnera. |date=2 September 2020 |website=polityka.pl |language=pl | access-date=4 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808091256/https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/spoleczenstwo/1969864,1,margot-nie-bede-grzeczna-nie-chce-byc-symbolem.read |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Margot: To także mój Chrystus|url=https://magazynkontakt.pl/margot-to-takze-moj-chrystus/|access-date=18 September 2020|website=magazynkontakt.pl|language=pl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205012746/https://magazynkontakt.pl/margot-to-takze-moj-chrystus/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>