"They demanded that I not speak Belarusian with colleagues in front of children." Do Belarusian speakers face bullying in the country?

The discussion began with a post on Threads by a Belarusian-speaking girl from Vitebsk, who recounted how she encountered a negative reaction to the Belarusian language.

"It's interesting if Belarusian speakers currently face bullying in Belarus. Personally, I have such examples in Vitebsk: a gynecologist refused to see me and sent me to another doctor. A urologist mocked my Belarusian speech when I was almost crying from pain due to cystitis. Instead of diagnosing anemia, a hematologist called colleagues and showed me to them like a monkey in a circus. They refused to call a taxi. A taxi driver insulted me for my language in front of my own student. At my former state job in the cultural sphere, I was forced to translate reports into Russian," the Belarusian woman recalls the most memorable stories.

She adds:

"When I encounter assertions that Belarusian speakers are aggressive or dislike socializing, come on, guys — personally, for almost 10 years, I've been constantly on the defensive when I leave home. Overall, this is one of the reasons why, apart from my theater and friends, I don't go anywhere else and experience panic attacks in crowded places."

In Minsk and Grodno, it's normal for Belarusian speakers

Other Belarusian-speaking users responded to the post and shared their experiences. Judging by the comments, the Belarusian language is currently well-received in Minsk and Grodno.

People describe neutral or even warm reactions: employees in shops, post offices, and polyclinics usually understand and don't make remarks, and sometimes even switch to Belarusian themselves.

"I haven't experienced bullying. On the contrary, people often switched – doctors, post office employees, and people in shops. It's interesting that when I started speaking Belarusian, people in the queue often switched too."

Another user writes:

"I live in the Minsk region, I travel to Minsk for work every day – everything is normal, no one bullies me. I speak Belarusian in all organizations, and mostly everyone understands everything. And in the district polyclinic, and in the Republican Scientific and Practical Center in Minsk, and in private laboratories, none of the doctors or other medical staff said anything. Only one of my roommates once asked: 'Do you not speak Russian at all?'"

At the same time, she also mentions another experience:

"At my previous job, I was reprimanded for speaking Belarusian with children on a 'non-Belarusian-speaking day'. We had patriotism education as one of our annual goals then. And I thought: why not speak Belarusian with the children. And when I was resigning, I was asked to write my resignation letter in Russian. The head of the kindergarten even demanded that I not speak Belarusian with my colleagues in front of the children."

Another user shares:

"Minsk. I was asked a question once at the police department. Then they didn't care anymore. Last year, I only met one person who explicitly wanted to be served in Russian. There were no other cases. Outside of work – not once."

According to commentators, a different situation is observed in Vitebsk and Mogilev. These cities are most often named as problematic.

In Vitebsk, Belarusian-speaking users describe misunderstandings in state and medical institutions, taxis, and the service sector.

"A few years ago, a taxi driver intimidated me by threatening to complain that I was 'propagandizing' something. I had simply asked him in Belarusian if I was paying by card or cash."

Users also note that there are very few Belarusian speakers in Vitebsk:

"Apart from myself, I've met about fifteen people in Vitebsk in my whole life. Now I definitely know three more. And that is, of course, horribly few. But in Polotsk, there are significantly more."

Another post:

"However long I've lived in the Vitebsk region, I've never heard people speaking the language. It would be pleasant to meet such a person. Recently I was in Grodno, went to see the old castle – there, the employee selling tickets spoke Belarusian. It was so unexpected that I even got confused and felt like a tourist."

"Polyclinics, banks, state institutions, and taxis — like a scourge"

Many note that in "random" public spaces – in shops, queues, among ordinary people – bullying rarely occurs. On the contrary, support is more often encountered there.

Users name polyclinics and hospitals, banks, schools and kindergartens, taxis, and other state structures as problematic places.

"Shops, queues – no problems. But polyclinics, banks, state institutions, and taxis – like a scourge: at least once a month something 'flares up'."

Comments from people from Russia also appeared in the discussion. Two Russian women specifically emphasized that the Belarusian language evokes admiration, not irritation, in them.

"I am Russian-speaking because Russian is my native language. I know and love Belarusian. But when I start speaking Belarusian or even just say that I like it, I also encounter some bullying. Not as terrible as yours, but I think they give me a 'discount' because I'm from Russia. I still believe we need to continue – everything will change soon."

Another Russian woman writes:

"Even though I am Russian-speaking, having moved from Russia, I adore the national language, although I understand little of it. I'm learning it with my child and don't understand how one can be put down for their native language. Once I went to the dentist – it turned out he was the only one in the clinic who spoke Belarusian. The appointment went simply amazing."

"Do you understand that this is illegal?"

Some users actively defend their rights in bullying situations – referring to the Constitution and the Law on Languages, demanding a book of comments and suggestions.

"Do all these people understand that their behavior directly violates the law and they can be held accountable?" – people complain in the comments.

"Usually, I rely on articles of the Constitution and the Law on Languages, demanding a book of comments and suggestions. If Article 17 equalizes two languages, then Article 50 grants the right to national self-determination. And the Belarusian nation has one language – Belarusian."

But others admit: sometimes it's simply scary and there isn't enough internal resource to defend oneself.

"It was scary a few years ago. It seemed that it was like that everywhere and you yourself would be quickly accused of inciting hatred towards the Russian language. Now I understand that I should have written complaints and set things in motion. But for that, I needed to grow myself."

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