Polish woman fined for insulting homosexual man at grocery

A court in Poland has fined a woman for calling a homosexual man "a fag" on Friday. The woman, Unemployed Anna S. called Ryszard G. the defamatory name last year in a Wolin Island grocery store.

Anna was ordered to pay $5,256 for using a word that Ryszard feels is offensive by Szczecin Judge Urszula Chmielewska. She was also told to refrain from using the word faggot when referring to Ryszard or his partner. Gazeta reports:

'Everyone has the right to the protection of their dignity and private life,' said judge Urszula Chmielewska, explaining the ruling. 'Everyone has to right to live a normal life in society and for their sexual orientation to remain their private business. The word "fag" is offensive and the context in which defendant Anna S. used it served to offend her neighbour,' said the judge.

Anna hadn't just insulted the man that one time though. She had been also calling the police with false charges against him. The court ruling was made to help Anna change her behavior. That is unlikely as Anna feels she is innocent and planning on appealing. The case had hit the courts in February after the woman's grocery story comment started an 'avalanche of hatred' towards Ryszard. He and his partner have endured being called names on the street. They have had stones thrown at them. Recently Ryszard was warned that if his case won he would be killed. Gazeta reports:

'This is a very important ruling for us,' said Robert Biedroń of the CAH. 'It was a fight for dignity, not for money. And not only this one man's but the dignity of all homosexuals. We are grateful to him for his courage. For deciding to make his face public and show everyone that there's been enough offending. Offensive treatment of gays and lesbians is common in Poland, but I believe that now, when the court has stopped to treat us as second-rate citizens, so will the rest of society.'