Rainbow Friday is celebrated by over 100 schools throughout Poland – at least three of them are in Podkarpacie. Although it is a region associated with tradition and conservatism, the high school in Boguchwala is considered one of the most tolerant for LGBTQ+ people in the country.
The general secondary school with bilingual classes in Boguchwał near Rzeszów is one of the most tolerant schools for LGBTQ+ people in Poland and the first in this respect in the region. The creators of the LGBTQ+ ranking rated this institution – based on the votes of the students themselves – as “friendly and committed”. In Rzeszów, the capital of the voivodeship, no school received such an award, and only a few were considered “friendly”. In the same Podkarpacie region, the vast majority of schools have not been rated at all, and there are also institutions considered “unfriendly” to LGBTQ+ people.
The historic high school building in Boguchwala
Rainbow Friday in Boguchwala
The high school in Boguchwala is one of three institutions in Podkarpacie and over 100 in Poland that declared participation in this year’s edition. Rainbow Friday. This is a grassroots initiative organized in 2023 by the GrowSPACE Foundationwhich encourages young people from schools to build a “safe space” in their school and draw attention to the presence of LGBTQ+ people in school communities.
The aim of Rainbow Friday is to make young LGBTQ+ people visible in the school community. This year – as the organizers emphasize – it is particularly important to reach small towns with Rainbow Friday where LGBTQ+ people are more exposed to discrimination.
– Rainbow Friday is not only a celebration of LGBTQ+ people, although it is mainly about them. This is simply a day when everyone should enjoy their differences, when everyone can celebrate acceptance, equality, tolerance and respect – emphasized Kacper Blok from the GrowSPACE Foundation at a press conference in front of the Boguchwał high school.
Blok added that “in Podkarpacie, more and more schools take part in Rainbow Friday.” – This morning we also received information about several schools in Rzeszów that decided to take part in Rainbow Friday – he reported.
Karolina Szczudło, the president of the student council at the high school in Boguchwala, said that “more people, including heterosexuals, should pay attention to the ranking of LGBTQ+ schools.” – It not only sets tolerance towards LGBTQ+ people, but also general tolerance and acceptance – she emphasized.
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Rainbow Friday (illustrative photo)TVN24
As part of Rainbow Friday, leaflets are distributed in schools informing about what tolerance is and who LGBTQ+ people are. Only those institutions that, in cooperation with students, declare their willingness to participate in the initiative, join the campaign.
Rainbow Friday in schools
The project is coordinated by the Campaign Against Homophobia. – Rainbow Friday has been included in the school year calendar since 2016 and cannot be erased – emphasizes Anna Maria Linczowska from the Campaign Against Homophobia.
Last year the list of schools participating in the campaign has not been published KPH. – Because it ended very unpleasantly due to the campaign of conservative politicians and various right-wing organizations, it was not pleasant and it was not safe – Justyna Suchecka, a journalist at tvn24.pl, explained on tvn24.