Poland’s pink economy: Can profits promote LGBTQ+ equality?

DW (English)

Poland’s queer community has been scapegoated by a homophobic government. But some businesses have made it their mission to cater to the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a boost to Poland’s economy, but can it help promote acceptance and diversity?

Transcript

00:00 A residential building in central Warsaw.

00:03 Down in the basement, the workshop of gay couple Sebastian and Wojciech.

00:08 And their business Dwar Borsuki - Polish for the two badgers.

00:13 They create handmade bags and accessories, each with a rainbow flag attached, to show

00:18 their support for Poland's LGBTQ community.

00:21 A big furniture chain with a global presence or a big clothing chain can use this symbol,

00:31 but there is no message linked to it.

00:36 They do not support any of the LGBT organizations.

00:42 I believe their desire is to capitalize on some of this pink money from the market.

00:51 A backpack costs around 55 euros, but their customers get a 10 euro discount if they can

00:57 prove they've donated to a pro-LGBTQ organization.

01:01 LGBTQ life in Poland isn't easy.

01:04 The right-wing government, which had been in power for eight years, has made it difficult

01:08 for NGOs which support LGBTQ rights.

01:13 These bags Sebastian is sewing are to be sold to business, the French cosmetics brand Garnier.

01:20 It's everything for us now.

01:24 Sometimes we are tired because we had lots of work and we were doing only for two of

01:34 us.

01:35 But it's nice.

01:36 All their products are made from offcuts they acquire free from other textile businesses.

01:41 This is a small business here in Warsaw.

01:43 They make all of their products here themselves.

01:46 And the plan is, with corporate clients now on board, that they can grow, and not just

01:51 within the LGBT community.

01:54 Another business promoting LGBTQ acceptance in Poland is Kubota, based in the western

01:59 town of Lodz.

02:01 A famous Polish flip-flop brand from the 90s which saw its sales dwindling to a few hundred

02:06 pairs per year.

02:08 Waclaw Mikaszewski was part of a takeover team in 2018 who revamped the brand and started

02:14 running pro-LGBTQ public campaigns.

02:18 We could expect that there will be some reactions which are not so nice.

02:22 And they were.

02:23 They said, you know, I will never buy again your flip-flops.

02:26 And we say, OK, goodbye.

02:29 But much more came.

02:30 They're now turning over six million euros per year and starting to sell outside of Poland's

02:36 borders including in Germany.

02:40 These are businesses considered part of the 'pink economy', a term used to describe the

02:44 purchasing power of the LGBT community.

02:48 According to 2022 data from OutNow Consulting, Poland's so-called 'pink economy' is worth

02:54 35.8 billion euros per year.

02:58 It's the seventh biggest pink economy in the European Union and growing.

03:03 So if you were Ben & Jerry's or Pantene, for example, both of which have undertaken fairly

03:09 significant commercial marketing campaigns which feature LGBT+ content in Poland in recent

03:15 years, you are thinking, I would suggest, both with your heart and with your head.

03:20 Poland's GDP is nearly 700 billion euros.

03:23 So the pink economy makes up just over 5%.

03:26 One economist here in Poland told us the government is wise to keep political positions out of

03:32 economics in order to let businesses thrive.

03:35 I'm not a big fan of everyday interventionism of a government to the economy.

03:41 It's what the market is driving the growth in the long period of time.

03:45 And most countries which thrive, basically they create the regulations that can enable

03:52 individuals and businesses to thrive in them.

03:55 But what do Poles on the streets think of this so-called pink economy?

03:59 My first thought about that is it's something common with Barbie.

04:06 What is that?

04:07 I don't know.

04:08 I have no idea, actually.

04:10 I know what is gold money and I know what is green money.

04:17 I don't know what is pink money.

04:21 Back in the workshop, Twardowski's business is a labour of love.

04:25 They hope their contribution to the Polish economy can also bring acceptance and rainbows

04:31 into Polish society.

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