Spice Girls’ Mel C pulls out of New Years Eve show in Poland, citing “issues” concerning “communities I support”
Poland has become increasingly notorious for its stance against the LGBTQ+ community
Aux News Mel
Spice Girls member Melanie Chisholm—also known as Mel C—has pulled out of a scheduled New Years’ Eve show in Poland. The singer offers a vague note on her exit from the televised program.
“In light of some issues that have been brought to my attention, that do not align with the communities I support, I’m afraid I will no longer be able to perform in Poland as planned on New Year’s Eve,” Chisholm shares on social media.
“I hope to be back there very soon. Hope you’re all having a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for 2023. Melanie xxx.”
Though Chisholm did not offer any details on exactly which “issues” were brought to her attention, many infer it has to do with the country’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights. The television broadcaster set to host the event, TVP, has been accused of airing government-pushed, anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda over the last few years.
Under a conservative ruling party, the Polish government has taken aim at the LGBTQ+ community in recent years. Many towns and villages in the country currently condemn the mere existence of the queer community, legally establishing themselves as “LGBT-free zones.” Members of the LGBTQ+ community do not have the right to marry or adopt children in Poland.
Earlier this year, Amnesty International released a report on the current state of LGBTQ+ issues in Poland, writing, “The atmosphere of hostility towards LGBTI people in Poland is growing dangerously worse.”
Chisholm’s been a staunch supporter of the queer community throughout her career, and in the last few years earned awards for her allyship from the British LGBT Awards and Attitude Magazine.
Left Polish politicians Robert Biedron and Beata Maciejewska praised Chisholm’s decision, writing, “Equality is equality. No discussion or compromise. Let’s hope that next year our country will again be associated with solidarity, and not with slandering LGBT people.”
36 Comments
Good job, Poland. You’ve pissed off the Spice Girls.
One way I’d get the Polish government to step away from these anti-LGBTQ+ stances would be to very overtly compare them to the similar Russian government positions.
Various governments feel that they need to ease up on the Polish government concerning things like this, at this moment, because of mutual support regarding kicking a malevolent authoritarian out of Ukraine, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to private entities.
So like “We don’t really like the gays, but we dislike Russia even more, so yeah, the gays are ok now?”
Or highlight the difference between the Polish government stance and the Polish people.Russia helped the current conservative Polish government take power. The conservatives sitting there now have been trying to set things up in such a way as to prevent the people of Poland from voting them out.The Kremlin however, does not seem to understand the deep animosity that anyone from Poland has for any authority from Russia. So while Russia was supportive of conservative authoritarian-wannabes taking control in Poland, that didn’t mean that any kind of relationship was going to be reciprocated from Warsaw back to Moscow. No 21st century authoritarian Warsaw Pact to be formed.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smolensk_air_disaster – There is still suspicion toward Russia regarding the plane crash of 2010, as an aside.
It seems to work pretty well on the Right in the US. “Whatever Democrats like, we don’t”
The misinformation and brainwashing tactics that work on a demographic of people aren’t limited to use by Faux News, that’s for sure.
Basically. “The gays” have not, in living memory, exterminated the Polish educated classes and treated the country as a colony. The Russians have, and Warsaw cannot afford to be alienated from the West.Conversely, I am still not happy about Poland’s policies. I would still feel unsafe travelling there. However, the Russians will, I have little doubt, exterminate people like me in camps if given the chance (which is why people claiming to be allies and then calling to stop supporting Ukraine infuriate me). So for the moment, the EU/NATO’s a bit like a family that fights amongst themselves—we might go for each others’ throats, but if there’s an external threat? Woe betide those who cross us.
In fact, the Polish government actually dropped some of its anti-judicial review policies right after the invasion, in the interest of protecting said mutual support.
Ahhh, good to know!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Poland“20th centuryUntil 1932, abortion was banned in Poland without any exceptions (although an abortion performed in order to save the pregnant woman’s life in the absence of any other means to do so, might have been unenforced, as an act of necessity). In that year, the new Penal Code legalised abortion only when there were medical reasons and, for the first time in Europe, when the pregnancy resulted from a criminal act.[8] This made Poland the first country in Europe outside the Soviet Union to legalize abortion in cases of rape and threat to maternal health.[9] Except during the German occupation during the Second World War, this law was in effect from 1932 to 1956. In Nazi Germany, which included territories of Poland from 1939 to 1945, the law allowing unlimited abortions by Polish women was in force since 9 March 1943. This was the only time in the history of Poland when abortion was legal on request, and in fact, abortion for Poles was often forced by Nazis, especially in German concentration camps such as Waltrop-Holthausen and Ravensbrück.[10]In 1956, the Sejm legalised abortion in cases where the woman was experiencing “difficult living conditions”. The interpretation of the change in the law varied from a restrictive interpretation in the late 1950s, to one in which abortion was allowed on request in the 1960s and 1970s. It was not uncommon that women from countries where abortions were restricted, such as Sweden, travelled to Poland to carry out abortions which were accessible and affordable there.[11] The procedural requirements needed for obtaining a legal abortion were changed several times over the years, in 1956, 1959, 1969, 1981 and 1990.[12]The most important change was that of 1990, after the end of Communist rule, when the Ordinance of 30 April 1990 made access to abortion more difficult. Another major change came in 1993, when the law was further tightened, removing entirely “difficult living conditions” as a ground for abortions. As such, abortions could be legally obtained only in cases of serious threat to the life or health of the pregnant woman, as attested by two physicians, cases of rape or incest confirmed by a prosecutor, and cases in which prenatal tests, confirmed by two physicians, demonstrated that the fetus was seriously and irreversibly damaged.[12] In 1996, the law was amended to allow abortion on social grounds.[13] However, this law was struck down in 1997 by the Constitutional Court.[14]”
She could, you know, support said communities by naming them.
She was always my favourite. The only SG who isn’t a Tory and Thatcher fangirl.
That being said… she has done shows in Russia and Dubai which… not exactly a great track record as safe places for LGBT peeps. Though it sounds like here it was more an issue the with “State TV” broadcaster she would be performing on specifically promotes anti-LGBT propaganda.
“ No discussion or compromise.”
I know that Geri and Victoria have said some unsurprisingly stupid shit in support of tory scum, but surely Emma and the Mels are better than that? It can’t just be Mel C, can it?
Mel B spoke at a recent Tory conference in support of tougher laws against domestic abuse, but I’m not sure if she’s a party member.
That’s exactly the issue. Law and Justice and its backers have stamped out/bought out opposing media voices as part of their bid to transform Poland into a one-party state.
Sporty was always the cool one.
In light of what happened to Griner, I would be very selective about where I go in the world (if living in late stage capitalism hadn’t already made world travel a nonissue for me).
Eh, her situation was pretty unique. She unfortunately brought a THC cartridge to a country known for it’s strict anti-drug laws, she’s a celebrity/public figure, and said country also happened to be one of the two biggest rivals to the US… and a country that invaded a US ally while she was there.
She unfortunately brought a THC cartridge to a country known for it’s strict anti-drug laws a $75 fine and possibly 15 days in jail for such things.
They charged her with intent to distribute, trafficking, and was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison for 1g of oil. The whole thing was a farce, and Griner was clearly used as a pawn, but dismissing their laws as lax because possession carries a lower penalty makes you look silly.
dismissing their laws as lax because possession carries a lower penalty makes you look silly.It’s weird how you completely agreed with me right up until you read something I didn’t write, and then you felt the need to call me silly for that non-existent quote.
“completely agreed with you”About?“you read something I didn’t write” Oh, so you didn’t imply that the laws weren’t strict by dismissing the potential consequences as minor?
I made a factual statement. I didn’t make any judgement on the strictness or laxity of the laws. You did that and attributed it to me.
Maybe you think a $75 fine and 15 days in jail is lax. Maybe people who are able to buy cannabis and smoke it on the street think that’s strict. Doesn’t really matter for the purposes of this conversation because the only person making any sort of judgement there is you. Stop acting like I said anything of the sort.
Lol, don’t act willfully obtuse. You know full well that editing someone’s sentence a la FTFY is generally seen as passive aggressive when making a point, right? You’re acting defensive and deflecting, words mean things and if you’re not going to be clear about what you mean, people are going to make their own assumptions. You already know this. “I made a factual statement.” Your statement has nothing to do with the charges applied to her, so why bother saying it? What does that accomplish? Now you’re turning this into a strawman by changing the focus of the argument and making it about you. So congrats, I no longer care about what you have to say.
That’s a really weird way of taking the L but you do you.
*rolls eyes*That’s one way to not admit you’re wrong.
Why did you post in that confusing way then? Striked out what the other guy said about strict laws and added specific details? And then act like you’re not implying anything? What was the point of that in the first place?
I have to say, it’s better that she pulled out, rather than turn down the offer privately. This makes it more embarrassing for TVP/the Polish right wing.
It´s their country, not yours. They can think and do what they want. Planning to COLONIZE again like in Africa back in the day?
Stupidity like yours should come with painful consequences.
…
Well, they can’t do what they want, can they? They want to get married and adopt children.Which article did you read?
Well, it is still their country and none of your business. The majority of people there voted for that. It´s what they want and what they think. This is called Democracy. They don´t need people from other countries to interfere like they did in Africa during the COLONIZATION. Misunderstanding on purpose what I wrote, can´t help you with that.
touché
Why did she even sign on for it in the first place?