WARSAW, Poland (LifeSiteNews) — The mayor of Warsaw ordered the removal of religious symbols, i.e., crosses and crucifixes, from City Hall while urging employees to use transgender “pronouns” and respect same-sex relationships.
According to Polish News, Rafał Trzaskowski signed an order relating to the “standards of equal treatment” in the Polish capital’s city hall. The order includes a ban on religious symbols on walls or desks, mainly targeting crosses and crucifixes, which are common sights in buildings in the historically Catholic country. The document urges employees to use the “preferred pronouns” and names of people suffering from gender dysphoria.
“Warsaw is the first city in Poland to adopt such a document,” said Monika Beuth, spokesperson for the mayor.
The ban on religious symbols will not apply to “religious symbols for personal use worn by people working in the office, for example in the form of a chain, tattoo or armband.” Going forward, events organized by the city hall must not include prayer of any kind.
The order states, “These standards will strengthen efforts to promote equal opportunities and equal access to city services and resources for all residents of Warsaw.”
City hall employees are required to use language that “recognizes and takes into account social diversity.”
“In the case of a transgender person whose appearance may differ from stereotypical ideas related to the gender recorded in official documents, address him or her with the name or gender pronouns that he or she indicates,” the document says.
Even though same-sex relationships are not legally recognized by the Polish state, the order gives employees freedom to treat same-sex couples who raise children together like married couples in some regards.
“A person may authorize a same-sex partner to collect documents on his or her behalf or to contact the school, psychological and pedagogical counseling center, or other institution regarding the child,” the order states.
The document also notes that employees will be subjected to compulsory “diversity training.”
Expressions like “disabled person” or “mentally ill” should be replaced by “a person with a disability” or “a person in a mental health crisis.” The order encourages employees to use “gender-neutral terms” as much as possible.