UniLodz for Equality. Because a Good Place to Work and Study Starts with Respect

This is precisely why at the University of Lodz we say it clearly – respect is not an addition to academic life. It is its foundation. 

Without respect, there is no safe learning. Without a sense of dignity, there is no courage to ask questions. Without openness, there is no good cooperation, creative debate or genuine development. A university that seeks to be a place of free thought must also be a place where every person can feel seen, recognised and taken seriously. 

That is why today at UniLodz we have put up a flag – a symbol of Pride Month, visibility and solidarity with LGBTQ+ people. We have done so not to divide anyone. On the contrary – we have done it to remind us that differences do not have to distance us from one another. They can teach us attentiveness, empathy and responsibility for the community we create together. 

Diversity is not a slogan. It is the everyday reality of the university 

At the University of Lodz, people from different environments, cities, countries, families and life stories meet. Some are just beginning their academic journey; others have been conducting research, teaching, organising administrative work, supporting students and co-creating the University of Lodz as a public institution for many years. 

Such a community can only be strong if it is built on trust and trust begins with a simple conviction: every person has the right to be themselves and to be treated with dignity. 

For us, Pride Month is not only a symbol. It is an opportunity to reflect on what a truly good place to work, study and conduct research really is. It is a place where one does not have to hide any part of one’s identity. Where no one is reduced to a stereotype. Where academic debate does not entail permission for exclusion. Where diversity is not seen as a problem to be managed, but as a value that broadens our understanding of the world. 

This is particularly important at a university – an institution whose mission is to explore, explain and transform reality. It is difficult to fulfil this mission without the courage to look more broadly – beyond one’s own experience, beyond comfortable patterns, beyond what we already know well. 

“We’re not marching against anyone, but for someone” 

Dr Andrzej Kompa from the Faculty of Philosophy and History at the University of Lodz speaks about the meaning of visibility, solidarity and participation in equality marches. In his commentary, he underlines that the current moment is important not only for LGBTQ+ people, but for society as a whole, if it wishes to treat equality and the rule of law seriously. 

As Dr Kompa notes: 

We do not go to a pride march for joy. We do not go just for fun, although fun matters too. It also matters to be visible in the streets, so that people know we are not ashamed of who we are. We’re not marching against anyone, but for someone. 

This statement captures well the essence of academic engagement in matters of equality. It is not about a gesture against anyone. It is about a gesture of solidarity with those who too often have to prove that their dignity, relationships, safety and right to a peaceful life are just as important as those of others. 

Dr. Kompa also highlights the constitutional principle that should underpin social life: the prohibition of discrimination. Citing Article 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, he points out that equality before the law cannot be merely a declaration. It must have real meaning in people’s everyday lives. 

His words carry an appeal for a community that is responsible, courageous and united: 

We are stronger when we act together. 

For a university, this statement carries particular weight. Science also develops through collective effort – through the exchange of ideas, cooperation across disciplinary boundaries and a willingness to listen and learn from others. An academic community cannot be strong if some of its members feel that that their presence is conditional or less obvious. 

The University matters 

A public university does not exist outside society. It is a part of it, but also a place that can set standards for dialogue, cooperation and responsibility. It is here that we learn that knowledge requires integrity and that community requires principles. Academic freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility for words, and diversity of perspectives helps us better understand reality. 

The University of Lodz seeks to be a place where LGBTQ+ people are not merely tolerated. Tolerance is not enough. We want to speak about respect, recognition and safety – about the right to study, work, conduct research and develop without fear of prejudice. 

Differences do not divide us. They teach us how to be together 

It is easy to repeat slogans about diversity. It is much more difficult to take them seriously and remember them in practice. Taking diversity seriously means accepting that others may experience the world differently from us. Their needs, concerns and hopes may differ, but they are no less important – because a community is not based on sameness, but on mutual recognition. 

At UniLodz, we believe that this is precisely the attitude that builds a good university. A university where it is possible to disagree, but where no one’s dignity is denied. We can ask questions, conduct research and engage in discussion, but we cannot exclude. 

Pride Month is a celebration of courage, visibility and hope. However, it is also a reminder that equality does not simply happen on its own. We create it every day – through language, decisions, procedures, our attitude towards others and our readiness to respond when someone is overlooked or harmed. 

The University of Lodz strives to be a place that brings people together. A place where differences are part of a shared experience, not a reason for distance. A place where everyone can say: This is where I belong. 

Editor: Kacper Szczepaniak, Centrum Komunikacji Marki