Fight against gay and trans hostility: Stögmüller warns of step back!

Fight against gay and trans hostility: Stögmüller warns of step back!

Budapest, Ungarn - May 17th, 2025 is a symbolic day on which the international day against homo-, bi-, inter- and transthobia (idahobit) is celebrated worldwide. David Stögmüller, spokesman for LGBTIQ+ of the Greens, emphasizes the current threat that the queer right threatens through an international reactionary front. This front extends from Washington, D.C. Until Budapest and Moscow and tries to withdraw their rights and dignity. Stögmüller refers to the ban on the Budapest Pride in June as an example of the limited freedoms of the queer community in Hungary.

in Hungary on July 15, 2023, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the government's anti -queer policy, as an occasion, a record penalty against the Lira book trade chain served. This was occupied with 12 million forints (approx. 32,000 euros) because a comic book with LGBTQI topic, "Heartstopper" by Alice Oseman, was sold without prescribed protective film. This book tells the story of two teenagers in love and is recommended for young people aged 14 and over. A “Child Protection Act” in Hungary, which has been in force for two years, obliges bookstores to pack content on homosexuality or transformation. The EU Commission sued Hungary to the European Court of Justice based on this legislation because it violates the information rights of young people. Tagesschau reports that 37 governments, including the USA and all EU countries except Poland, protest in a joint letter against discrimination against sexual minorities in Hungary.

A call against discrimination

Stögmüller emphasizes that the Idahobit offers an opportunity to set a strong sign against exclusion, hatred and inhuman policies. He reports of over 1 million signatures for an EU citizenship initiative that is committed to a ban on homosexual "conversion therapies". This social problem is interpreted as a sign that right movements are increasingly encouraged to live out their hatred against queer people.

An important element in the fight against such discrimination is social cohesion. Stögmüller emphasizes that the queer community will not be intimidated by the populist front. Europe can demonstrate a clear majority for human rights and human dignity.

international efforts to strengthen LGBTIQ+rights

The Federal Government is committed internationally for the human rights of LSBTIQ+persons and has been involved in the [Equal Rights Coalition] (https://www.bmz.de/de/themen/themen/lsbti-lesben-schwule-bisexual- interlechen) since 2016. This coalition aims to strengthen the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans- and intersex people. Germany and Mexico took over the chair of this initiative in September 2022

The G7 countries confirmed their commitment to gender equality under the German Presidency 2022. The challenges that transgender and non-binary people face were particularly emphasized. A central concern of the G7 is to actively combat violence and discrimination in development cooperation.

With a clear call to solidarity and a joint fight against discrimination, the international community is determined to defend queer freedoms even in times of increasing threats.