Hooray, Hungary Removes Anti-LGBTQ Laws!
Hungary’s politicians have voted to remove anti-LGBTQ provisions in a 2021 “child protection” law adopted under former nationalist leader Viktor Orban.
The Hungarian Parliament passed a bill amending the law by a vote of 139 in favor and 51 against, marking the first significant reversal of Orban’s curbs targeting the LGBTQ community since pro-EU Prime Minister Peter Magyar took power in May.
Rather than ban the “promotion” (i.e., representation) of sexual and gender diversity in content accessible to children, the new law seeks to protect those under 18 from material that can “seriously impair the child’s physical, intellectual, emotional, or moral development.”
Ahead of the vote on Tuesday, Magyar viewed the bill not as a restoration of rights but as a strengthening of child-protection rules “regardless of sexual orientation”. Magyar won a landslide victory in the April elections, ending Orban’s 16-year run, during which Orban cracked down on LGBTQ rights. Magyar did not address LGBTQ rights during his campaign, though he has since seemed willing to revise some Orbán-era policies.
The bill does not “address discriminatory language in the Fundamental Law (Hungary’s constitution) or restrictions in the Freedom of Assembly Act that have been used to prohibit Pride and other LGBT-related assemblies.”
Meanwhile, Orban’s Fidesz party voted against the amendment, accusing the government of “neutering” the original law under EU pressure.
Orban’s government had gradually rolled back LGBTQ rights in Hungary in the name of “child protection,” starting in 2020 by banning the legal recognition of transgender people’s gender identity. A child protection bill was introduced in 2021, amending multiple statutes with the stated aim of cracking down on pedophilia. It also banned the “promotion” of homosexuality and gender transition to under-18s. The legislation was amended to also serve as the basis for banning annual Pride marches.
Hungary Tourism is Trending
Hungary, particularly its capital Budapest, has been in recent years a popular tourist destination due to its rich history, stunning architecture, numerous thermal spas, and vibrant nightlife, along with its affordability and accessible public transportation and old world European charm.
Budapest is renowned for its beautiful architecture, including the Hungarian Parliament Building, Buda Castle, and St. Stephen’s Basilica, all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The city is also famous for its thermal spas, with the Szechenyi Baths being a particularly popular attraction. Multiple river cruises pass through Budapest because the Danube River, flows through, adding to the city’s scenic beauty, especially at night.
And speaking of night, Budapest has a lively nightlife scene with many pubs, clubs, and ‘ruin’ bars. And despite the consistently anti-LGBTQ stance of Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban, Budapest has a vibrant gay scene with several bars and clubs, including the well-known Alterego, a below-ground venue with midnight drag shows. Open on Fridays and Saturdays, Alterego features midnight drag shows moderated by Lady Dömper. It’s located on a quiet side street near the city center in District 6.
The Why Not Cafe and Bar is a popular cafe and bar that is open daily, while Magnum Sauna is also a popular venue. Ver-Deco Music Club is the other place for queers to dance the night away, but it’s the scenic ruin bars, which are unique social spaces created in abandoned buildings, and some of them are known to be gay-friendly.
