On Saturday, August 14, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies gathered together outside the Hungarian Embassy in Dublin to protest the country’s appalling LGBTQ+ rights violations.
Representatives from organisers LGBT Ireland and Dublin LGBTQ Pride joined with activists such as Ailbhe Smyth to call out for solidarity with the queer community in Hungary and, as James O’Hagan shared, to point out that “LGBTQ rights are human rights” and that it is not acceptable for Hungary to make queer people “invisible in their society”.
You can watch the speeches in full on the Dublin LGBTQ Pride Instagram account.
The protest, part of a global day of action from All Out, comes in response to controversial new laws in Hungary which include banning the distribution of any LGBTQ+ materials seen to promote LGBTQ+ issues to minors.
The wonderful @ailbhes speaking with passion at the protest outside the Hungarian Embassy on Fitzwilliam Square. #Hungary #LGBThungary #LGBTrights #orban pic.twitter.com/0exssL1eqt
— Karl Hayden (@Khayden2412) August 14, 2021
Speakers outside the embassy blasted the Hungarian government for linking LGBTQ+ people with pedophilia through the Children Protection Act, which also includes a ban on same-sex couples adopting and rules against gender recognition for trans people.
At the conclusion of the protest, O’Hagan from LGBT Ireland reiterated how important it was for LGBTQ+ communities around the world to show solidarity and protest for those in other countries who were subject to bigotry.
Our very own @DublinPride CEO, Jed Dowling reads a letter from the president of @InterPride, highlighting that though we had positive changes, there are still many challenges across the globe until we live in a world that is equal for all. @LGBT_ie @AllOut #YouAreIncluded pic.twitter.com/Z1jx9VIAbz
— Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride (@DublinPride) August 14, 2021
Before the protest took place, Viktor Horvath, a Hungarian member of the LGBTQ+ community living in Ireland, shared through a press release from LGBT Ireland, “Growing up in Hungary I got used to the mentality that being different made you bad or disgusting, I held that feeling for a long time – it took me years living in Ireland to slowly shed off this mentality and feel proud of my identity.
“It breaks my heart to think about my LGBTQ friends and family still living with that judgement, and this new legislation will ensure that future generations of Hungarian queer youth grow up with the same fear and shame I felt.”
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