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Spice Girl Mel C, also known as Melanie C and Sporty Spice, is drawing cheers from the LGBTQ+ community and allies after pulling out of a New Year's Eve concert in Poland.
The decision is believed to be tied to Mel C's opposition to the country's virulently anti-LGBTQ+ political climate.
Mel C abruptly announced her pull-out on Monday from the show New Year’s Eve Dreams with Dwójka in a cryptic message to fans that many believe to be a reference to Poland's repressive "LGBT-free zones" legislation.
See her statement below.
\u201chttps://t.co/AESz5I8fC1\u201d— Mel C / Melanie C (@Mel C / Melanie C) 1672078321
Mel C wrote:
“In light of some issues that have been brought to my attention, that do not align with the communities I support, I’m afraid I will no longer be able to perform in Poland as planned on New Year’s Eve."
Mel C went on to say that she hopes to be back in Poland very soon and wished her fans "a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for 2023."
Poland has passed a series of sweepingly anti-LGBTQ+ laws in recent years, including one in January that removed LGBTQ+-inclusive curricula in education.
It was followed by a law in February that would "punish" students for being inclusive of LGBTQ+ people.
And in the past year, municipalities comprising roughly one-third of the country have declared themselves "LGBT-free zones," where LGBTQ+ people cannot safely live openly.
Politicians have run on openly anti-LGBTQ+ platforms in recent years as well, including President Andrzej Duda.
During his 2020 reelection campaign Duda claimed that so-called LGBTQ+ "ideology" was even more destructive than the autocratic Soviet communism that subjected countries like Poland into grinding poverty and brutal repression from the end of World War II until 1989.
Mel C has long been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, which has been a loyal fanbase to both the Spice Girls and Mel C in her solo career.
And on Twitter, many applauded the artist for taking a stand.
\u201c@MelanieCmusic On behalf of all Poles, for whom democracy and the rule of law are of paramount importance, as well as respect and tolerance towards various environments and social groups, I would like to thank you for the very good decision you have made.\u201d— Mel C / Melanie C (@Mel C / Melanie C) 1672078321
\u201c@MelanieCmusic I\u2019m super proud of you, my dear. This small things change the world. Thanx\u201d— Mel C / Melanie C (@Mel C / Melanie C) 1672078321
\u201c@MelanieCmusic The best ally \u2665\ufe0f\u2665\ufe0f\u2665\ufe0f\u2665\ufe0f\u201d— Mel C / Melanie C (@Mel C / Melanie C) 1672078321
\u201c@MelanieCmusic Hero x\u201d— Mel C / Melanie C (@Mel C / Melanie C) 1672078321
\u201c@MelanieCmusic \ud83d\udc4d good on ya !!\u201d— Mel C / Melanie C (@Mel C / Melanie C) 1672078321
\u201c@MelanieCmusic A lesson in being an ally... \u2665\u201d— Mel C / Melanie C (@Mel C / Melanie C) 1672078321
\u201c#SaveWarriorNun\nSlayy \ud83d\udc85\nThank you for not taking part in an event organized by a TV station belonging to a political party that has completely banned abortion in Poland and said that lgbt is just an ideology and they need to be treated..\nHomophobic d\ud83c\udf46s in a homophobic country..\u201d— Jereczko || #SaveWarriorNun (@Jereczko || #SaveWarriorNun) 1672088502
\u201cThis is what real allyship looks like.\u201d— WinGaydium Lesbiosa (@WinGaydium Lesbiosa) 1672131826
\u201cThank you Mel for your information.\nYou are very WELCOME in POLAND.\nThis to happen upon 2023 election.\nWould love to see you in free country \n\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1\u270c\u270c\u270c\u270c\u270c\u201d— Mario Rebel #SilniRazem (@Mario Rebel #SilniRazem) 1672086909
\u201cAs a polish person all i can say is thank you and you're doing the right thing \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc9c\u201d— IndigoMaria\u2077 \u221e \ud83d\udc9c\ud83d\udc99\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@IndigoMaria\u2077 \u221e \ud83d\udc9c\ud83d\udc99\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1672086875
In a recent interview, Mel C spoke of what the LGBTQ+ community means to her. She told British music magazine NME:
“Being an ally to the LGBT+ community is important and rewarding... Being accepted into their world, I learned so much about their struggle."
She went on to say that the kind of courage LGBTQ+ people show in living openly "was always the message of the Spice Girls."