Poland has officially started to legally recognize marriage equality – so long as they are performed outside the country.
The situation is a reverse of what the United States experienced prior to the landmark case Obergefell v Hodges. During that time, numerous states across the country refused to recognize the marriages between queer people that were conducted in other states. Meaning, if you were married in California, Texas refused to recognize it if you moved to that state.
The EU Court of Justice ruled late last year the Poland must recognize same-sex marriages conducted in EU countries that have legalized marriage equality. In March of this year, Poland’s Administrative Court concurred.
The ruling comes after a Polish couple went to Germany to get married only to have their native country refuse to recognize it.
But now, civil registry offices throughout the country are able to issue marriage certificates. On August 22, they issued the first.
Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister, said that this is good for Poland and that it protects, “the dignity and rights of its citizens.”
As in the United States, marriage confers hundreds of rights related to joint property ownership, access to a partner’s medical information in the event they are hospitalized, end of life decision making, and joint custody of children to name a few.
This past summer, however, Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki continued to veto proposals to enact full marriage equality in the country.
Poland has lagged behind other EU countries when it comes to LGBTQ rights. The country’s right-wing politicians, and those aligned with MAGA, argue that this has opened a “backdoor” to marriage equality – which in a way is true. Now, Polish citizens will see duly married queer couples living normal lives in the country.
