Hungary: Homophobic adoption bill part of ongoing attack on LGBTI+ community

The Hungarian Parliament is expected to vote on a bill tomorrow which would prohibit adoption for non-married couples and further restrict the rights of LGBTI+ people in the country. Ahead of tomorrow’s vote Amnesty International is calling on Hungarian MPs to reject these “draconian” amendments.

If passed, the bill would amend the Hungarian Constitution to state that “mother is a female and father is a male” and that Hungary “protects self-identity of the children’s sex by birth”. Amnesty is concerned this would further stigmatise the transgender and intersex people in Hungary.

David Vig, Director of Amnesty Hungary, said:

“This attempt to rush through these discriminatory, homophobic and transphobic new laws are part of an ongoing attack on LGBTI+ people by Hungarian authorities.

“The government is planning to adopt legislative changes that would further restrict LGBTI+ rights just as they did in May when they rushed through a bill that banned legal gender recognition for transgender people. With the proposed 9th amendment to the Constitution, they would further stigmatise the transgender people in Hungary.

“Hungary’s MPs must reject these draconian provisions and Hungary’s people must come together to show that the power of love is stronger than the love of power. The time has come to show we will not allow hatred and exclusion from the government to strip away our rights.”