The problem Poland has with women's bodies and rights

Let’s go back to October 2020, COVID 19 is in full swing causing an economic crisis all over the world. In the midst of all this mess the Polish government takes time to tighten an already restrictive abortion law, causing mass protests that the country hasn’t seen in decades. Manipulating the abortion right was another step in turning catholic Poland into woman’s hell. Weronika Marianna Siwiec, an illustrator, painter and animator born in Warsaw, based in Amsterdam, shares her view of Poland’s disdain for women, our bodies and our rights. This isn’t just about abortion law, sadly it’s more than that. Illustration by Weronika Marianna Siwiec, photo’s by Alicja Lesiak.

Abortion law in Poland has always been the toughest in Europe, allowing the procedure in three cases only: when the pregnancy was a result of a rape, when mother’s life is endangered or when the fetus has serious abnormalities. On October 22nd the polish constitutional tribunal (full of government friendly judges) outlawed the case of aborting a fetus with fetal malformations. Of 1100 legal terminations in 2019, 98% was conducted because of the severe fetus defects. Therefore this ruling is a near-total abortion ban, forcing women to give birth to children with fetal illnesses, such as Anencephaly (lack of brain) or Edwards syndrome (severe deformation of all the organs). In many cases babies with these defects die within hours or days, in incredible pain.

Amending a law that already has been that restrictive is yet another step towards controlling women’s bodies and our reproductive systems, which the ultra-right wing government pursues with full support of the Catholic church. The strong influence of the church in Poland is already responsible for the lack of sexual education in schools, inaccessibility of contraception, hatred towards LGBTQ people and much of the gender inequality. Combined with multiple pedophilia scandals, tax exemption and enormous governmental funding, the position of the church has been causing increased frustration. But it was the abortion ban that broke the straw on the camel’s back, liberating the suppressed anger of the people. “WYPIERDALAC” hundreds of thousands protestors shouted towards the government and the church. This word, meaning “get the fuck out”, became a symbol of eruption of rage, uniting throats all over the country, in big cities as well as small towns and villages. “We have been polite for ages, now we are just fucking pissed” say polish women about controlling their bodies and their futures, “this is war”. War against the government, the Catholic church and their exploitation of and cruelty towards women. 

The protests that have been going on for almost a month now, are the beginning of a revolution. An uncanny solidarity of generations and political affiliations is visible on the streets, an old man with “I am here for my granddaughters” sign walking arm in arm with teenagers. Incredibly touching are the testimonies of frustrated mothers of children with serious diseases requiring assistance 24/7. They accuse the government of hypocrisy: people with disabilities are to be brought into the world but they and their families get next to no support from the government, often struggling with poverty, helplessness, mental illnesses, in some cases even sexual abuse.

How dare women have a voice?

The protestors have also entered churches, which is unprecedented in a traditional country such as Poland. Watching a video of young women in a small town shouting “no uterus no opinion” at a patronizing priest, makes me feel that Poland will not be such a traditional country anymore. The church hierarchs openly criticise the protests, seeing them as an attack on “traditional catholic and polish values” such as women’s obedience and docility. Many decades of putting women down by men in power is resulting in an eruption of anger from polish women of all ages. Together they scream: It’s enough with controlling our bodies, our sexuality, our life choices, our uteruses, our futures. It’s enough with oppression and abuse. It’s enough with men in suits or men in priest dresses telling us what is right for us, our sisters and daughters. This female revolution will not end, once awakened, we won’t step back. “You will never walk alone” they tell each other, while passing on a phone number from an abortion emergency foundation. 

Even though the protests are supported by 67% of the population, the government keeps on coming up with more controversial ideas. The new bill they try to push through will refer women diagnosed with a lethal fetal defect to a ‘prenatal hospice’, which in practice means imprisoning women to keep them away from having an illegal abortion. This is the level of tyranny and torture that we are standing against.

Let me quote my favourite polish author, Nobel Prize winner, Olga Tokarczuk: “Obsessive hatred towards women and their bodies and a compulsive need to control both their sexuality and fertility stems from a palpable sense of one’s weakness. Patriarchy is a giant with feet of clay”. And we tell this giant to #wypierdalać!

What can you do to help? 

Polish women have already been traveling to other European countries for abortions, but now they will need it even more. You can donate to: 

Amsterdam Abortion Network, a network of volunteers supporting women who can’t terminate pregnancies in their countries. 
Aborcyjny Dream Team, a polish foundation supporting women needing an abortion  
Strajk Kobiet, organiser of the protests in Poland

You can also spread the word, read, repost.  

For news in english go here or here.