"Cats, Dogs and Queers" LGBTQ+ Poland
Minimum amount 5,000 €
Since 2020, I have visited and photographed over 200 LGBTQ+ individuals in Poland. Why? Because Poland is the most LGBTQ+ hostile country in the EU.
Discrimination, exclusion, and violence against LGBTQ+ individuals are commonplace in Poland. In 2020, President Andrzej Duda referred to the LGBTQ+ community not as people, but as an ideology worse than communism. This spurred my photography project, now culminating in a book to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues, not just in Poland but globally.
Funding period
7/26/24 -
12/22/24
Realisation
Nov/Dez 2024
Minimum amount (Start level): 5,000 €
The minimum amount ensures that the book can be printed and offered at an affordable purchase price. It will be entirely allocated to cover printing costs.
City
Hamburg
Category
Photography
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Primary sustainable development goal
5
Gender equality
Sponsored by
What is this project all about?
I started photographing LGBTQIA+ individuals in Poland in 2020, unaware of the pervasive homophobia and transphobia. Shocked by the situation and the fact that politicians and the church label the LGBTQIA+ community as an ideology, not as people, I decided to use my photography to raise awareness.
Under the title "I am not an Ideology," I have visited and photographed over 210 people. Surprisingly, many of them had pets, leading me to showcase nearly 100 portraits in the book "Cats, Dogs and Queers" integrating these pets into the compositions.
What is the project goal and who is the project for?
Our target audience includes everyone advocating for LGBTQIA+ equality and rights—be they activists, supporters, or anyone believing in a fair and inclusive society.
This project is for those who want to make a statement.
Why would you support this project?
Despite recent political changes, Poland remains the most LGBTQIA+-hostile country in the EU according to the latest ILGA ranking since 2016. While photographed in Poland, this project holds global relevance. LGBTQIA+ individuals face online and offline harassment and violence too frequently.
Your support will expose these issues and amplify the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community. With your help, we can advocate strongly for equality and against discrimination. Every contribution promotes worldwide acceptance and respect for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
How will we use the money if the project is successfully funded?
If successfully funded, all proceeds will go towards printing our book, scheduled to be released by the esteemed Kettler Verlag in November/December 2024. Our goal is to make the book accessible and affordable to all. Printing costs are substantial, particularly for high-quality production and sufficient copies to spread the project's message widely.
Your support will not only help distribute the book's content but also create a beautiful product to adorn coffee tables and bookshelves.
Exceeding €15,000 in funding would enable us to produce more copies, further expanding the reach and impact of our project.
Who are the people behind the project?
My name is Paul Koncewicz, and I earned my photography diploma from Bielefeld in 2013, awarded with the BFF Prize.
I primarily work as an editorial and portrait photographer, dedicating myself to independent projects.
In 2021, I received support from VG Bild-Kunst for the LGBTQ project in Poland, "I am not an Ideology," which allowed me to visit and photograph over 200 people.
Now, this project aims to showcase a selection of these images in the book "Cats, Dogs and Queers."
What are the sustainable development goals of this project?
Primary sustainable development goal
5
Gender equality
Why does this project contribute to this goal?
By portraying LGBTQIA+ individuals, the project showcases the diversity within the community and helps to overcome stereotypes and prejudices. It demonstrates that gender identity and sexual orientation are part of human diversity that should be respected and accepted.
Through mobilizing supporters and activists, the project creates a network of partners who are working together for a more inclusive society.
This project also pays toward those goals
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Partnerships
Legal notice
E-Mail [email protected]
10/6/24 - Wir mussten den Mindestbetrag der...
Wir mussten den Mindestbetrag der Crowdfunding-Kampagne deutlich senken, da die ursprüngliche Zielsumme von 15.000 Euro nicht erreicht wurde.
Um das Projekt dennoch zu verwirklichen, werden wir eine kleinere Auflage des Buches "Cats, Dogs and Queers" produzieren, finanziert durch freie Spenden und Goodies.
Unterstützer, die ein Buch gekauft haben, werden vollständig erstattet. So können wir das Projekt in reduzierter Form realisieren.
10/6/24 - Liebe Unterstützer, wir möchten euch mit einem...
Liebe Unterstützer,
wir möchten euch mit einem wichtigen Update zu unserer Crowdfunding-Kampagne für das Buch "Cats, Dogs and Queers" informieren:
Wir verlängern die Kampagne.
Trotz großem Engagement haben wir unser Ziel noch nicht erreicht. Daher haben wir uns entschlossen, die Kampagne zu verlängern, um mehr Zeit zu gewinnen und zusätzliche Unterstützer zu mobilisieren. Diese Verlängerung gibt uns die Möglichkeit, weiterhin Aufmerksamkeit für das Projekt und die Botschaft zu gewinnen.
Teilen und Projektreichweite erhöhen
Whether on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook or Instagram, if you share this project with your friends in a story or status, the project has a chance of gaining more reach on social media. Simply use our graphics.
Tag @not_an_ideology @startnext in your posts.
Crack the algorithm of Instagram & Co. Startnext provides you with various graphics for sharing, for more reach in social media.
Denis (co-founder of Startnext)
