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28
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I.Roleandlegalstatusofwomen
28thNovember1918whenthetemporaryChiefoftheStateJózefPiłsudskisigned
adecreeontheelectorallawfortheLegislativeAssemblywhichgavePolish
womenequalvotingrightswithmenandsetthefirstvotinginfreePolandfor
January19196.However,nowadaysdespitemanyprofemininepostulates,women
arestilldeprivedoftherighttodecideovertheirownbodiesorprivateandfamily
life,theirrighttoself-determinationinmanybasic,intimateanddelicatespheresof
life.Thelegislatorcontinuallyinterfereswiththelifeofawomanatitseverystage,
usurpingtherighttodecideaboutthefemalebody,hersexuality,thechoicesshe
makes.Itregardssuchareasoflifeofawomanasparenthood-whetherornotto
becomeamother(inthisrespectthelegislatorexercisesbroadcontroloverfemale
body,e.g.byregulatingtheavailabilityofthereimbursedcontraceptivesorthe
verylimitedcircumstancesinwhichsheisallowedtoterminatepregnancy).The
legislatorhasthepowertoinfluencewomen’schoicesregardingtheirprofessional
andfamilylife,includingtherolestheyperform(e.g.theyhavedilemmawhether
tochoosebetweenbeinganemployeeoranentrepreneurortogiveupworking),
whichoftendependsonthelimitedaccesstothefinancialsupport,propernursing
system,insufficientallowancesorstateaidofferedbythelegislatorwhenthey
getpregnantorgivebirthtoababy.Eveniftheintentionsarehonourable,the
legislatorimposesonwomentheonlyrightfamilymodeltheyshouldadoptalso
bydeprivingthemofthefreedomofchoice,e.g.betweentheinformalpartnership
(cohabitation)7orinstitutionalisedandsanctionedmarriage,whomtheywantto
createafamilywithorhowtheywanttoraisetheirchildren.ThePolishlegislator
oftenseemspresentinwomen’slifenotsomuchasacarerandguardianbutrather
asacontrollerwhokeepsthemunderclosesurveillanceorasastrictsupervisor
wholimitstheirfreedomofactionandchoices.Itissaidthathumanbody“maybe
usedasanobjectandtargetofthepowerbecausetheknowledgeofthebodymay
bemanipulatedfortheneedsofthevariousinstitutions”8.
InthelightoftheArticle32and33ofthePolishConstitutionallpersonsshall
beequalbeforethelawandhavetherighttoequaltreatmentbypublicauthorities,
shallnotbediscriminatedagainstinvariousareasoflifeandwomenshallhave
equalrightsinfamily,political,socialandeconomiclifeintheRepublicofPoland.
Nevertheless,underPolishlawtherighttoself-determinationisrarelyusedand
6
In2018the100thanniversaryofgainingelectoralrightsbywomenwascelebratedinPoland-
formoreinformationsee:https://www.sejm.gov.pl/sejm8.nsf/komunikat.xsp?documentId=551
C6745BE04F762C1258352003282F4(access:28.04.2021).
7
ThePolishlegalsystemdoesnotrecogniseregisteredpartnerships.
8
J.Barański,Ciałoizdrowiewujęciusocjoestetycznym,[in:]W.Piątkowski,W.Brodniak(eds.),
Zdrowieichoroba.Perspektywasocjologiczna,WyższaSzkołaSpołeczno-Gospodarcza,Ty-
czyn2005,p.323.
