Anna Grodzka becomes Poland’s first transsexual MP
The first transsexual Polish MP, Anna Grodzka (R), takes the oath next to the first openly gay Polish lawmaker, Robert Biedron (L), both from Palikot’s Movement on November 8, 2011, during the first session of the new Polish Parliament in Warsaw.
Poland's newly-elected parliament has transsexual and gay MPs for the first time in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation's history, the Associated Press reported.
Anna Grodzka, 57, was born a man and known as Krzysztof Bęgowski before having surgery in Thailand and becoming a woman, the BBC reported. She was elected a Polish member of parliament as a woman during the general election in October and sworn in Tuesday.
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Robert Biedron, the first openly gay person to be elected to Poland's parliament, is known as a gay rights activist.
Grodzka and Biedron belong to the Palikot's Movement, which is a progressive political party in Poland.
"Palikot's Movement has vowed to push for liberal causes. It opposes the power of the church in society, promotes gay rights and wants to challenge Poland's almost total ban on abortion," the AP stated.
The success of both candidates shows the lessening power and influence of the Catholic Church in Poland, BBC reported. The Palikot Movement, which won 10 percent of the vote in the general election, has criticized priests who get involved in politics.