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LGBT people in Poland have faced years of hostile rhetoric from senior politicians of the conservative government led by the Law and Justice party
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67378894
Just inside the entrance of one Warsaw high school, there's a red plaque that pronounces it safe for LGBT students.
"I chose this school because I just wanted to be myself," Stacey explains, long fringe dangling over a face that's heavy with make-up.
The 15-year-old is transgender and moved to the Polish capital from a small village that she calls "very conservative".
She had to hide her identity there, at great cost to her mental health.
"I didn't want to live anymore, back then. Now I'm ok. I feel better." The teenager is disarmingly frank.
The climate Stacey has grown up in hasn't made life easier.
LGBT people in Poland have faced years of hostile rhetoric from senior politicians. The country has repeatedly ranked bottom in the EU in terms of protecting LGBT rights.
But in last month's elections, the conservative Law and Justice party, or PiS, lost its majority. If an opposition coalition takes over as expected, LGBT activists are hoping for a change in both tone and policy.
Sniadek school is something of an oasis in Poland.
It hosts Rainbow Friday, an initiative meant to help young people understand diversity and feel accepted.
In one of the corridors, students set up stands with photos of gay and lesbian celebrities and the stories of rights activists from around the world.
"In my past school, one person always screamed 'faggot' at me. Now I'm living 200 kilometres [124 miles] from home just because this place is so tolerant," one of Stacey's classmates was eager to explain.
The school also stopped study for a couple of hours to hear an LGBT activist talk about tolerance.
Dominik Kutz was one of the team that devised the safe-schools scheme, where students rank their schools themselves.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67378894
Just inside the entrance of one Warsaw high school, there's a red plaque that pronounces it safe for LGBT students.
"I chose this school because I just wanted to be myself," Stacey explains, long fringe dangling over a face that's heavy with make-up.
The 15-year-old is transgender and moved to the Polish capital from a small village that she calls "very conservative".
She had to hide her identity there, at great cost to her mental health.
"I didn't want to live anymore, back then. Now I'm ok. I feel better." The teenager is disarmingly frank.
The climate Stacey has grown up in hasn't made life easier.
LGBT people in Poland have faced years of hostile rhetoric from senior politicians. The country has repeatedly ranked bottom in the EU in terms of protecting LGBT rights.
But in last month's elections, the conservative Law and Justice party, or PiS, lost its majority. If an opposition coalition takes over as expected, LGBT activists are hoping for a change in both tone and policy.
Sniadek school is something of an oasis in Poland.
It hosts Rainbow Friday, an initiative meant to help young people understand diversity and feel accepted.
In one of the corridors, students set up stands with photos of gay and lesbian celebrities and the stories of rights activists from around the world.
"In my past school, one person always screamed 'faggot' at me. Now I'm living 200 kilometres [124 miles] from home just because this place is so tolerant," one of Stacey's classmates was eager to explain.
The school also stopped study for a couple of hours to hear an LGBT activist talk about tolerance.
Dominik Kutz was one of the team that devised the safe-schools scheme, where students rank their schools themselves.
