Małgorzata Szutowicz (born Michał Szutowicz, 1995[1]), widely known as Margot or Margo, is a Polishnon-binaryLGBTQIAactivist and co-founder of the Stop Bzdurom collective.[2] The organisation is dedicated to saving queer kids from the consequences of disinformation about the LGBT community.[3] Margot is mostly known for being arrested and accused by the police for slashing the tires of a truck used by Fundacja Pro [pl], covering the truck with paint, physically confronting an activist, and joining other activists in decorating statues across Warsaw, including one of Jesus, with rainbow flags and pink masks.[4]
Activities
According to Wprostinvestigation, 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 [pl] (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 and pro-life 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] 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.[14] 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."[15]
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.[16] Margot's activism has met with criticism from the vice-president of The Left's parliamentary club, Monika Pawłowska,[17] as well as commentators generally viewed as liberals or leftists, including philosopher Jan Hartman and editor-in-chief of Newsweek Polska, Tomasz Lis.[18][19]
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".[20] 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.[21] On 7 September 2020, a protest in support of Margot was held in front of the martyrdom monument at Old Market square, Bydgoszcz.[22]
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."[15]
Margot lives with Łania Madej and is in a polyamorous relationship with her and a trans man Lu.[24][25] 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.[23][26]
Naming controversies
Some controversies have arisen around Szutowicz's given name. Polish police[27] and some media such as Polish Television,[28]Onet.pl,[13] or Radio Nowy Świat [pl][29] use Szutowicz's masculine name in their statements. Liberal media outlets however, such as Gazeta Wyborcza,[30]TVN,[31] or OKO.press[32] prefer to use Szutowicz's feminine name, while conservative media outlets like Najwyższy Czas!,[33]Radio Maryja[34] use her masculine name.[35] Politicians of the Law and Justice party such as Beata Mazurek or Piotr Uściński, also use Szutowicz's masculine name.[36][37] According to psychologists Kamil Gulik and Dominik Haak, this misgendering is a form of violence against LGBT people that can cause suicidal thoughts.[38][39] However, Szutowicz's partner Łania Madej has said that Szutowicz is not offended by being referred to as her masculine name.[24]
^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)