The Polish government's plenipotentiary for equal treatment, Elżbieta Radziszewska, outed a man on live television on Tuesday, using his homosexuality as an example for one of her arguments.

During a breakfast tv show on TVN24, Ms Radziszewska was discussing her interview with a Catholic weekly, in which she said that a Catholic school has the right not to employ a teacher who is a lesbian. She was discussing the issue with Krzysztof Śmiszek, member of the Polish Society of Anti-Discrimination Law (PSAL), who said that European law and the Polish labor code forbid an employer to ask about the sexual orientation of an employee. But the minister stressed that each case should be looked at individually and used Mr Śmiszek as an example.

“If, for example, Mr Śmiszek, in a situation when we know that he is a member of the homosexual society and an activist for the Campaign Against Homophobia and it's no secret who his partner is...”, she began, to her interlocutor's astonishment.

When the hosts of the show asked her if in her capacity as the government's plenipotentiary for equal treatment she shouldn't be on the other side of the fence, she answered that that is exactly where she is on the matter.

Mr Śmiszek, however, didn't see it like this.

“This is pure homophobia,” he told daily Gazeta Wyborcza on Tuesday. “In no other EU country would such a person still hold their post.” He plans to sue the minister. “I do not hide my sexual orientation, but it's my private business. My personal rights have been violated.”

Women's rights organizations have been demanding that Ms Radziszewska step down for months, accusing her of not fighting for women's rights nor for the rights of sexual minorities.

“A post that should be of an avant-garde character – throughout Europe civil rights are treated as a priority – was filled by a person with a very conservative world view who does not have the feel of the equality issues. It's like making a pacifist minister of defense,” said Magdalena Środa, a former equality plenipotentiary.

“Elżbieta Radziszewska must leave. Immediately!”, said SLD head Grzegorz Napieralski on Wednesday and announced that the party will appeal to the prime minister to have her dismissed. “A part of Ms Radziszewska's job description is to fight discrimination and that is not what she is doing,” he said.

After she realized what a stir her statements had caused, Ms Radziszewska defended herself on Wednesday. “I publicly apologize to Mr Śmiszek,” she told journalists. “I did not want to cause any grief nor to stress that he is a homosexual.” She explained that Mr Śmiszek did not make any secret about his sexual orientation in dealings with her, so she assumed it was common knowledge.