Hungary passed a law Tuesday that restricted broadcasters, advertisers and media entities from promoting gay and transgender content to children via media.
The bill passed by a vote of 157-1 with the support of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Fidesz claimed the law would combat pedophilia, but it contained provisions against content that depicted homosexuality or that which promoted transgender rights.
The measure outlaws content that features characters who are gay or who no longer identify as the sex they were assigned at birth in kids’ content, according to WSJ. Fidesz state secretary, Csaba Domotor, claimed the goal of the law is “the protection of children.”
“Pedophiles won’t be able to hide anymore,” he claimed.
Hungary’s constitution was changed under Orban to define marriage as strictly heterosexual, and citizens are not allowed to change their gender identity on government-issued IDs.
U.S. Embassy Budapest is deeply concerned by anti-LGBTQI+ aspects of a bill passed today by the Hungarian Parliament. Read the statement here: https://t.co/wco5GyIb3T pic.twitter.com/dDqzGPzef0
— US Embassy Budapest (@usembbudapest) June 15, 2021
Protestors gathered to demonstrate against the law by the U.S. Embassy located in Budapest, Hungary.
The embassy also issued a statement of condemnation Tuesday.
The U.S. is “is deeply concerned by anti-LGBTQI+ aspects of a bill passed today by the Hungarian Parliament. The [U.S] stands for the idea that governments should promote freedom of expression and protect human rights,” the embassy said. (RELATED: Conservatives, Catholics Accuse US Embassy Of Deliberately Provoking Catholics With LGBTQ Pride Flag)
European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli told Reuters that the E.U. could pull funding from Hungary if Orban signs the bill, as he is expected to do.