On Tuesday, the Hungarian parliament approved a law introduced by the national-conservative government of Viktor Orbán with a large majority, which, among other things, places the representation of homosexuality and gender reassignment in books, films and advertisements under the protection of minors. A “deviation from the identity of the gender of birth” as well as depictions of gender reassignments or homosexuality may not be “promoted” or shown in Hungary in the future, provided that the relevant content could be accessible to minors. At the same time, stricter penalties for sexual violence against minors were passed, which also includes the creation of a “pedophile register”. The bill was approved by 157 of the 199 MPs in Budapest.In addition to Orbán's ruling party Fidesz, MPs from the right-wing Jobbik party also voted in favor. Almost all left and liberal MPs, however, had left the plenary session before the vote.
Against the "gender ideology"
Michael Martens
Correspondent for Southeast European countries based in Vienna.
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In Hungary it is now a criminal offense if sexual relationships that deviate from heterosexual norms are depicted in books, films, media or other publications that are accessible to children and young people.
In particular, advertising should no longer be allowed in which homosexuals or transsexuals can be seen as such.
According to the government, the changes are intended to protect the right of children “to their gender identity conceived at birth”. Critics point out that the new provisions, like previous measures by Budapest, violate the European Convention on Human Rights. They would also contradict the obligations arising from Hungary's membership in the Council of Europe and the EU, as well as the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The measures adopted in the same reading also insinuate that homosexuality and pedophilia are the same thing. On Monday evening, several thousand people demonstrated against the planned changes in front of the parliament building.
Prime Minister Orbán has on various occasions justified the initiative by stating that Hungarian schools and kindergartens should not become places of “sexual propaganda”. He also noted that a large majority of the Hungarian population approves his position on such issues. The dominant Christian parties in most states of the European Union would instead have surrendered to a “gender ideology” and sacrificed the traditional family model to it. Hungary had already stipulated last year that a gender reassignment may not be recorded in official documents, but that only the sex specified in the birth certificate remains relevant for government agencies.