Hungary bans same-sex couples from adopting in ‘dark day’ for LGBTQ community
Only married couples can adopt in the European Union member country, under new laws
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Matthias Church in Budapest, Hungary (pexels)
The Hungarian parliament has passed a law effectively banning same-sex couples from adopting.
New rules put forward by Prime Minister Victor Orban’s right-wing government mean only married couples can adopt in the European Union member country.
Same-sex marriage is illegal in Hungary. Some LGBTQs in the country were previously able to adopt as single parents.
However, amendments made yesterday define family as “based on marriage and the parent-child relation. The mother is a woman, the father a man.”
Single people will now need to be approved by the government before adopting.
The constitution now states: “Hungary defends the right of children to identify with their birth gender and ensures their upbringing based on our nation’s constitutional identity and values based on our Christian culture.”
“Rushed through under the coronavirus pandemic”
Responding to the news, David Vig, Director of Amnesty Hungary, said: “This is a dark day for Hungary’s LGBTQ community and a dark day for human rights.
“These discriminatory, homophobic and transphobic new laws – rushed through under the cover of the coronavirus pandemic – are just the latest attack on LGBTQ people by Hungarian authorities.”
Katrin Hugendubel the Advocacy Director at ILGA also said: “These bills further restrict the rights of LGBTI children and parents in Hungary. LGBTI children will be forced to grow up in an environment which restricts them from being able to express their identities, and children across Hungary will be refused safe and loving families, as adoption is restricted only to married heterosexual couples.
“This attempt to rush through these discriminatory, homophobic and transphobic new laws are part of an ongoing attack on LGBTI people by Hungarian authorities.”
Masen Davis, Executive Director at Transgender Europe added: “Earlier this year, Hungary made it impossible for trans people to change their names and legal gender marker. We are deeply concerned for the health and safety of trans children and adults in Hungary in such a hostile climate. We call upon EU Commission President von der Leyen to address the rights of LGBT parents, the attempt to erase gender diverse children, and the ban on legal gender recognition in the Commission’s rule of law assessment and on-going Article 7 TEU proceedings against Hungary.”
Watch the 2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar on YouTube now.
The Attitude Awards issue featuring all 14 winners is available from 1 December to download and to order globally.
Subscribe in print and get your first three issues for just £3, or digitally for just £1.54 per issue.
