's parliament should reject a bill that would prohibit discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation, and violates Hungary's international legal obligations, Human Rights Watch said today. The law targets content "promoting" or "portraying" sexual and gender diversity and could have sweeping consequences for health providers, educators, and artists, among others.
The draft "Laws enabling stricter action against pedophile offenders and the protection of children" bans the "portrayal and the promotion of gender identity different from sex at birth, the change of sex and homosexuality" aimed at people under 18. The bill, sponsored by Fidesz, the ruling party, is due for a vote in parliament on June 15, 2021.
"Hungary's ruling party is cynically deploying a 'protection of children' narrative to trample on rights and try to render LGBT people invisible," said Neela Ghoshal, associate LGBT rights director at Human Rights Watch. "Children do not need to be protected from exposure to diversity. On the contrary, LGBT children and families need protection from discrimination and violence."
