Hungary pulls out of ‘Eurovision’ claiming it’s ‘too gay’ for the country’s right-wing leadership
The country recently banned a Coca-Cola advert featuring a gay couple
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
Hungary has pulled out of the Eurovision Song Contest after claiming it’s ‘too gay’ for the country’s right-wing leadership.
According to the Guardian, a pro-government TV channel, MTVA, claimed the long-running song contest was a ‘homosexual flotilla’ and argued the mental health of people in Hungary would improve without airing the show.
A source told the publication: “I was not surprised. It comes from the organisational culture MTVA.”
They continued that positive coverage of LGBTQ rights was discouraged – except for coverage of the annual Pride celebration.
András Bencsik, the editor of a pro-government magazine, said: “I welcome the decision, including from a mental health perspective, that Hungary will not take part in the homosexual flotilla that this international song competition has been reduced to.
“Many young people thought that this is something for people under 18, but at this event the destruction of public taste takes place with screaming transvestites and bearded women.”
According to website index.hu, they quoted unnamed sources in public office who said they saw Eurovision as ‘too gay’ to take part in.
The TV channel put out a statement about withdrawing from Eurovision but failed to elaborate on their decision.
It said: “Instead of taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2020, we will support the valuable productions created by the talents of Hungarian pop music directly.”
Since the re-election of prime minister Viktor Orban back in 2010, many have complained that free speech and democracy have slowed.
Recently the country banned a Coca-Cola advert which featured a gay couple and members of Orban’s ruling party have previously compared homosexuality to paedophilia.