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Monday, November 30, 2020

We are only free when everyone is equal”

—Anja Rubik on the crisis in Poland

The supermodel and prolific Vogue cover star shares a powerful letter on the realities surrounding abortion rights in her home country, and her hopes for an inclusive future for the LGBTQ+ community

In 2020, our Poland is a divided country, and as a Polish woman, I have grave fears. Church and state have merged, giving birth to conflict and contradiction. A woman’s right to choose is under siege, the LGBTQ+ community is treated like second-class citizens, and sex education is being phased out.

Poland has the strictest abortion legislation in the EU. Abortion is illegal with three exceptions [in cases of rape, incest or where there’s a threat to the mother’s life], and these exceptions are being slowly erased. This will affect not just our women, but our entire community. On October 22, the Constitutional Court outlawed abortion in the case of severe and irreversible foetal impairment. This basically means that the state will force women to carry their pregnancies to term and give birth to children with severe deformities who may die, in extreme pain, just minutes after. The state is starting to interfere with our most personal decisions that impact our life, our destiny, our health and safety.

A woman’s right to choose is the litmus test for a healthy and progressive society. This moment in time will affect the Polish community for decades to come. Our women—our mothers, wives and daughters of the future—are relying on us to put them first.

The LGBTQ+ community in Poland lives in fear. We are a sum of parts, and to allow a faction to be marginalised or discriminated against is abhorrent and cowardly. So much of this behaviour is fear-based and ignorant. A Polish church that picks and chooses its dogma to manipulate an outcome is a direct contradiction of where Pope Francis is leading the Catholic faith in 2020 and beyond. To those who are LGBTQ+ phobic, I would ask you to confront your fears and be better. Poland is better than this. We are better than this.

I started a sex-education foundation in Poland in 2017 [called SexedPL]. It wasn’t as much a passion project, as it was a practical solution. For thousands of years, sex has been part of our lives, beyond algebra and physics. We are here, every single one of us, at a cellular level, because of sex. How is it possible to imagine a healthy community where we don’t teach our children about their bodies, their personal boundaries, consent and safe sex? Sex is inherently personal, comes with deep insecurities and dangers, and to simply ignore or reject it is irresponsible and a step backwards for Poland. In 2020, the Polish government is doing its best to censor and ultimately ban sex education. The adults of tomorrow face an isolated and uncertain future without the very best community care and structured education. Our government’s attack on sex education is an attack on our children.

There are moments and days where I feel deflated and terrified. Let me be clear: I feel I'm no more significant than the next Polish citizen. My family and community are riddled with anxiety and uncertainty. I watch the protests on the streets, provoked by the abortion ruling, with a mixture of pride and terror as I wonder how our Poland has become this place. After all we have faced over the past 100 years—the adversity, the heroes, the lessons learned—we find ourselves here. I try to stay positive and do everything in my power to support the men and women rebelling against oppression and fighting for our freedom, and the recognition of human rights. During low moments, I share phone calls and conversations with my friends and restore my confidence that we can make the change by being brave and speaking out.

We have learned many things during our lifetime, but a fundamental that underpins us is that ‘our Poland’ has the ability to thrive and adapt during crises. There is goodness in every single one of us. We need to remain calm, listen, focus and never undermine our own integrity. We are only free when everyone is equal.

Model Anja Rubik poses naked on three covers for Vogue Poland's Power of Women issue to protest against country's new tighter abortion laws

Abortions are banned in Poland except in cases where the woman's life is at risk

Anja Rubik who is pro-choice appears on three covers for Vogue Poland

Social media users have praised the publication for speaking out on the ruling

By LATOYA GAYLE FOR MAILONLINE 27 November 2020

Social media users have praised Vogue Poland for supporting pro-choice campaigners following the ruling to ban abortions in Poland in all but exceptional cases.

Polish model Anja Rubik, 37, stripped off to appear on three different covers for the glossy publication entitled 'The Power of Women', in response to the country now having some of the most draconian abortion laws in Europe, which sparked nationwide protests last month.

She took to Instagram to share the covers alongside impassioned captions accusing Poland of suppressing women and restricting their reproductive rights, in addition to penning an open letter on the Vogue website describing the nation as 'divided'.

Sharing the first cover with her 1.2 million followers, Anja posed naked with a red robe tying her wrist together and a lightening bolt on her cheek.

Describing the covers as the 'most important and personal' of her career, she said: 'A woman's right to choose is a litmus test or test for a healthy, progressive society. The decision of the Constitutional Court will have an impact on the Polish community for decades.

Polish model Anja Rubik, 37, has voiced support for pro-choice campaigners following a ban on abortions in Poland. Pictured: Anja on cover of Vogue Poland

Reproductive rights are human rights, they guarantee the possibility and freedom to decide about our life, our body, our health and our fate!'

Anja posted a second cover where she's seen standing naked while wearing one shoe and holding a container filled with red smoke.

Describing nudity as a symbol of the female revolution, Anja (pictured) argued the government plans to deprive women of their rights to decide about their own lives and bodies up over 120,000 likes, she wrote: 'I wanted to reflect our protest and our strength. I am naked in the photo. In patriarchal systems a woman's body is sexualized, it’s shamed and it’s shown as something wrong and indecent.

What is the new law on abortion in Poland?

Considerations for a total ban on abortion including in cases of rape or where the baby would be severely deformed were rejected in 2016.

However, on 22 October of this year Catholic Poland's constitutional court ruled that existing legislation which allows for the abortion of malformed foetuses is 'incompatible' with the protection of life.

Abortions will now only be allowed in instances of pregnancy through rape or incest, or if there is a threat to the mother's life by carryin on with the pregnancy.

The court verdict drew immediate condemnation from the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights organisation, whose Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic called it 'a sad day for #WomensRights'.

Thousands of protesters have since been taking to the streets and social media to campaign against the near-total ban on abortion.

The country of 38 million people sees fewer than 2,000 legal abortions a year, but women's groups estimate that up to 200,000 procedures are performed illegally or abroad.

'Hence, nudity has become a symbol of the female revolution. Currently in Poland, there are ongoing government plans to deprive women of their reproductive rights and the right to decide about their own lives and bodies.'

A third cover shows a head shot of Anja wearing minimal make-up, as red smoke swirls around her head.

'I am a patriot. With age, I feel more and more connected to Poland. And when the rights of women, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, personal freedom, teachers and students are attacked in my country, and when the state announces a new enemy in our community almost every single day, I cannot keep silent.

'We are told that we should feel shame for who we are, who we love, and what we believe in.

'This divides the country and makes us feel unsteady and insecure and it’s easier to manipulate a torn society. Let us not be intimidated. The law should not interfere in our personal decisions,' she penned.

The covers were re-posted along with their captions on Vogue Poland's Instagram racking up over 50,000 likes.

Anja (pictured) argued the nation shouldn't be intimidated and the law shouldn't interfere with women's personal decisions

One person wrote: 'Thank you for your courage! I am with you with all my heart!'

'Your support is invaluable and needed all the time! May more women have the courage to speak up in such a specific way! It's good that you are,' another said.

A third added: 'Wow this is so powerful and so eloquent and great, I'm speechless. Bravo Anja'