The first steps against the LGBTI community were announced the very same week that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán introduced an indefinite and uncontrolled state of emergency, suspending the national parliament for an unlimited time and enabling his government to rule single-handedly by decree, purportedly to fight the coronavirus.
Nearly in tandem, the ruling Hungarian Fidesz party presented amendments to change national laws including the civil registration procedure bill, which currently allows legal gender recognition. The new proposals stipulate that “sex” — currently interpreted as legal gender — be changed to “sex at birth,” which would be assigned using primary sex characteristics and chromosomes. If passed, “gender-specific rights” would be limited to the assigned “sex at birth,” which could not be changed during a person’s life.
Camila Garfias, President of Rainbow Rose, condemns these actions:
“This attack on our transgender and intersex friends is an attack against all of the LGBTI community and must be stopped immediately. When democracy is being dismantled minorities are always the first target of right-wing politics. As a society, we need to stand together against every step to destroy freedom and human rights.”
Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women and Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) Member of Hungarian Parliament, adds:
“This is a typical Orbán method — finding an ‘enemy,’ making sure they are vulnerable and defenceless, disguised and justified in the name of the economy, or this time the emergency state; to divert attention away from the lack of masks, ventilators and away from the Fidesz-generated health care catastrophe he sits on. Abusing his power to strip away rights from trans citizens is a disgrace. I expect the Commission and especially their President to finally act upon these breaches of human rights and the rule of law.”
Zoltan Gaspar, President of the Left LGBTQ Community, the working group of the MSZP on LGBTI rights, says:
“They are cowards because they are consciously making decisions now — when the coronavirus is raging — so that the accepting of the law won’t create big indignation in society. Parts of the omnibus bill have to be withdrawn by the Fidesz-KDNP because these violate human rights and destroy democracy!”
Rainbow Rose, PES Women and the Left LGBTQ Community — in line with the European Parliament’s LGBTI Intergroup — call on democratic institutions in the European Union to stop each and every step aimed at limiting human rights and the rule of law. The LGBTI community faces discrimination all over the world, but has seen progress in countries where legal protection is better. We call on the institutions of the European Union and all democratic countries in Europe to stop Hungary from becoming a dictatorship that cuts our community’s rights.
Source: Rainbow Rose