Hungary Pride goes forward despite threat from repressive law
BUDAPEST — With the support of Budapest's liberal mayor, Hungary's LGBTQ+ community and supporters from Brussels and around the world were poised to hold Pride festivities this weekend, challenging an effort to ban the event by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a self-declared 'illiberal' Christian conservative whose Fidesz party pushed through draconian legislation in March banning public events that portray or allegedly promote homosexuality.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Flash flood destroys apartment building
Flash flood destroys apartment building An apartment building in West Virginia partially collapsed as flash floods hit the area. The governor's office said at least five people are dead and four people remain missing following the floods. 00:31 - Source: CNN Vertical Top News 16 videos Flash flood destroys apartment building An apartment building in West Virginia partially collapsed as flash floods hit the area. The governor's office said at least five people are dead and four people remain missing following the floods. 00:31 - Source: CNN Trump reacts to win at the Supreme Court President Trump thanked conservative Supreme Court justices and explained what he plans to do next after the Court backed his effort to curtail lower court orders that have hampered his agenda for months. 00:46 - Source: CNN Supreme Court backs parents who want to opt out of LGBTQ+ curriculum The Supreme Court on Friday backed a group of religious parents who want to opt their elementary school children out of engaging with LGBTQ books in the classroom, another major legal win for religious interests at the conservative high court. 00:52 - Source: CNN Supreme Court limits ability of judges to stop Trump The Supreme Court backed President Donald Trump's effort to curtail lower court orders that have hampered his agenda for months. However, it signaled that the president's controversial plan to effectively end birthright citizenship may never be enforced. 01:32 - Source: CNN What we know ahead of the Bezos-Sanchez wedding After a stormy evening in Venice, CNN's Melissa Bell explains why details remain closely guarded ahead of the Bezos-Sanchez wedding. 01:25 - Source: CNN See moment suspect lights fire on Seoul subway CCTV footage released by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office captures the moment a man lit a fire on a busy subway in the South Korean capital last month. The footage, from May 31, shows passengers running away after the suspect doused the floor of the train carriage with flammable liquid before setting it alight. Reuters reports that according to the prosecutors' office, six people were injured. The prosecutor's office says it charged the 67-year-old man with attempted murder and arson. 00:48 - Source: CNN Hear Zohran Mamdani's response to concerns by the wealthy over his tax plan CNN's Erin Burnett speaks with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani about concerns over taxing the city's wealthy to fund his proposed initiatives, and whether it will cause them to leave the city. 02:27 - Source: CNN Details emerge of secret diplomatic efforts to restart Iran talks CNN's Kylie Atwood reports on The Trump administration discussing possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program, easing sanctions, and freeing up billions of dollars in restricted Iranian funds. 01:11 - Source: CNN How Diddy's body language was 'different' in court today CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister reports on Sean "Diddy" Combs' family in court for closing arguments in his criminal trial and a notable difference in Combs' body language. 01:18 - Source: CNN Anna Wintour steps down as Vogue editor-in-chief Editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour, is stepping down and seeking a replacement, the magazine's publisher Condé Nast confirmed to CNN. She will shift to a role of global chief content officer, where she will oversee every brand's global operations. 00:34 - Source: CNN Fireball spotted across the sky A 'daytime fireball' was caught on video in the sky over South Carolina – causing a sonic boom, according to the American Meteor Society. CNN has reached out to emergency management officials in North Carolina and Tennessee, as well as NASA for comment. 00:36 - Source: CNN Gen. Caine shares video of 'bunker buster' bomb test At a press conference about the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, shared video of 'bunker buster' bomb test and shared information about what they know about the strike. 01:05 - Source: CNN Gen. Caine says moment after strikes gave him chills At a press conference about the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, discusses the pilots who carried out the strikes and the reactions from their families after they returned home. 01:09 - Source: CNN 'Daddy's home:' Trump leans into NATO chief comment NATO Chief Mark Rutte got the world's attention after referring to President Trump as "daddy" after he used the analogy of two children fighting to describe the conflict between Iran and Israel. In a press conference, Rutte, explained his reason for using the term "daddy." Trump spoke about the moment at a press conference, and the White House leaned into the term in a social media post. 00:50 - Source: CNN Trump's team credits him with creating a decades-old phrase White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt falsely claimed that President Trump came up with the phrase "peace through strength." CNN's Abby Phillip reports on how the phrase has been used for decades. 01:22 - Source: CNN Cuomo called Mamdani after conceding NYC mayoral primary New York state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani was on the brink of a stunning Democratic primary win Tuesday for New York City mayor, with his top challenger, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, conceding the race. 00:38 - Source: CNN
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Thousands Attend Banned Budapest Pride in Defiance of Viktor Orban
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets for Budapest Pride on Saturday in defiance of attempts by the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to ban the event. Dozens of members of the European Parliament joined the procession in support of the event in the Hungarian capital as the 30th annual event went ahead despite moves by the government to push back against LGBTQ+ rights. Renáta Uitz, a leading constitutional law expert at the CEU Democracy Institute, told Newsweek on Saturday from the middle of the event that it was a "mass demonstration for freedom and against the government." Newsweek has contacted the Hungarian government for comment. A participant poses with a placard reading 'Many colours are a class' during the Budapest Pride march, on June 28, 2025 in Budapest, despite a governmental ban of the event. A participant poses with a placard reading 'Many colours are a class' during the Budapest Pride march, on June 28, 2025 in Budapest, despite a governmental ban of the It Matters Orbán's government has amended laws and the constitution this year to prohibit the annual celebration as part of a clampdown on LGBTQ+ rights on "child protection" grounds. The government also said it would use facial recognition software to identify people attending any banned events which has been condemned internationally as showing its intent for weakening democratic institutions at the heart of the EU. Saturday's protest is a rallying cry against Orbán's policies and will likely deal a political blow to the leader of the Fidesz party who faces re-election next year. What To Know Crowds gathered in Budapest for the city's 30th annual Pride march in which demonstrators carried signs reading "Solidarity with Budapest Pride" and waved placards bearing crossed-out illustrations of Orbán. Saturday's procession started a 3 p.m. local time and grew bigger as it wended through the city's historic center to its riverside roads, CNN reported, proceeding in defiance of a police ban imposed this year under sweeping new legislation that prohibits LGBTQ+ events nationwide. Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission president, posted her support on X and EU lawmakers attended the event. I call on the Hungarian authorities to allow the Budapest Pride to go ahead. Without fear of any criminal or administrative sanctions against the organisers or participants. To the LGBTIQ+ community in Hungary and beyond: I will always be your ally. — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 25, 2025 In response, Orbán posted on X for the European Commission "to refrain from interfering in the law enforcement affairs of member states." Dear Madam President, I urge the European Commission to refrain from interfering in the law enforcement affairs of Member States, where it has no role to play. I also call on the Commission to focus its efforts on the pressing challenges facing the European Union—areas where it… — Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) June 25, 2025 Uitz, from the CEU Democracy Institute, said it was no ordinary Pride event but a demonstration for freedom and opposition to Orban's government. Uitz said the best that Orban can do is to save face and present it as a street party rather than a demonstration against the government. "The political and moral credit goes to Mayor (Gergely) Karácsony and his support for a brave civil society initiative," Uitz said. On April 15, the Hungarian Parliament adopted its 15th constitutional amendment which mandated binary gender recognition in the Constitution and empowered authorities to restrict LGBTQ+ events, citing "child protection." Uitz told Newsweek in April that this was a move by the ruling Fidesz party for a new social contract but raised questions about Hungary's direction, especially as the country positions itself between Western alliances and illiberal role models. What People Are Saying Renáta Uitz, a leading constitutional law expert at the CEU Democracy Institute, to Newsweek: "This not an ordinary Pride. It is a mass demonstration for freedom and against the government. "The best Orbán can so to save face is to make sure that it is peaceful and remembered as a street party—not as a protest against the regime." Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, on X: "Thousands of people are marching for pride in repression we stand and rise. We resist. This is trans-national civil disobedience." Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission president, on X: "To the LGBTIQ+ community in Hungary and beyond: I will always be your ally." What Happens Next Orbán has said that police would not break up the Pride march but warned those who took part should be aware of "legal consequence." There will be anticipation over whether under legal changes, those attending may face fines of up to 500 euros ($590), with tougher sentences possible for organizers, which could prompt more condemnation from the EU.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Trump administration's "divide and conquer" approach to LGBTQ rights
In Marsha P. Johnson's final interview before her death in 1992, the activist later recognized as an icon of the movement that preceded LGBTQ rights in the United States explained why she, a transgender woman, championed a cause that often excluded her. "I've been walking for gay rights all these years," Johnson said, referencing early Pride marches in a conversation that appears in a 2012 documentary about her life. "Because you never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights." Since then, social and political wins over time grew to encompass everyone represented by the acronym LGBTQ, which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. But that's become less true in recent years, as lawmakers in Tennessee, Texas and a number of other states repeatedly pushed legislation to restrict access to gender-affirming care, bathrooms and sports teams for transgender people. Anti-trans sentiment was central to President Trump's 2024 campaign, LGBTQ advocates say, and it followed him into office. Many of his directives this term have closely mirrored Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda that explicitly prioritizes eroding LGBTQ rights. A "divide and conquer" approach From health care bans, to sports bans, bathroom bans, a military ban and attempts to erase non-binary gender pronouns from the federal system, Mr. Trump's most conspicuous threats to LGBTQ rights specifically target trans people, a pattern that has drawn accusations of scapegoating from his critics, given that trans people make up an estimated 1% or less of the U.S. population. LGBTQ advocates also see it as a tactic to sow division in the community. "Donald Trump ran for president on an age-old platform of divide and conquer," said Brandon Wolf, the national press secretary at the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy organization. "Inside the LGBTQ+ community, Donald Trump ran his campaign saying, I'm not targeting all LGBTQ+ people, just the trans people, and if you sacrifice that community, perhaps you will be spared." While polling data showed most LGBTQ voters didn't choose to elect him, Mr. Trump has gained increasingly loud support from a faction of gay conservatives who disavow the "radical LGBT left" and insist his policies aren't at odds with their personal freedoms. When the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced the upcoming termination of part of its 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline dedicated to helping LGBTQ youth, the gay conservative group Log Cabin Republicans called related media coverage "fake news." On TikTok, a small but popular band of conservative gay influencers post videos to similarly defend Mr. Trump's record. "Rights I've lost in Trump's America as a gay man," reads the caption of one of them, followed by an empty list numbered 1 through 5. In the comments section of another, a TikTok user responded to a thread outlining the current administration's anti-LGBTQ actions by saying, "None of that has anything to do with us being gay." Trump's orders On Inauguration Day, Mr. Trump declared in his televised address to the American public that "only two genders," male and female, would be recognized going forward by the federal government. He signed an executive order to enforce that within hours of being sworn in. Titled "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," the wide-ranging order included instructions for the State Department to prohibit trans people from using gender markers that reflect their identities on official documents, like passports, and instead require that those markers align with the document holders' reproductive organs "at conception." "The Trump administration's passport policy attacks the foundations of the right to privacy and the freedom for all people to live their lives safely and with dignity," said Jessie Rossman, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Massachusetts, which has made headway in a lawsuit aiming to reverse the new rule, in a statement. "We will continue to fight to stop this unlawful policy once and for all." Like many of Mr. Trump's executive orders, that one has faced steep challenges in the courts, and legal experts say its long-term applicability is uncertain as some elements contradict the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which codified discrimination protections for all LGBTQ employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The same conflict exists in Mr. Trump's orders to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, in which he instructed federal departments to "correct" what he called a "misapplication" of the Bostock ruling in their policies. Their uncertain futures aside, LGBTQ advocacy and rights groups feel those policies and others have already reaped consequences on the community at large — "the predictable result," said Wolf, "of a divide and conquer campaign." In response to Mr. Trump's directive to end "radical indoctrination in K-12 schools," the Department of Defense banned books with themes involving gender identity, sexual orientation and race from its schools for children in military families, which receive federal funding, according to a separate lawsuit filed by the ACLU. A textbook focused on LGBTQ figures in American history was tossed out under the ban. Meanwhile, corporations scrambling to comply with anti-DEI orders eliminated or scaled back their partnerships with Pride celebrations around the country after Mr. Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center in February forced WorldPride organizers to regroup because events were either canceled or relocated from the venue. And, in May, the Human Rights Campaign issued a memo warning that Mr. Trump's "big, beautiful bill," a "skinny" budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, would cut $2.67 billion in federal funding from programs that support LGBTQ people. Among its most urgent concerns were the administration's plans to significantly downsize public health programs for HIV/AIDS prevention as well as Justice Department programs that investigate anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, in addition to sweeping cuts to resources for the trans community. Asked where LGBTQ rights stand under the Trump administration, a White House spokesperson pointed to Mr. Trump's past appointments of openly gay judges and officials such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in addition to two initiatives during his first term to decriminalize homosexuality globally and end the HIV epidemic by 2030, although his 2026 budget proposal would hamper that. "President Trump's historic reelection and the overall MAGA movement is a big tent welcome for all and home to a large swath of the American people," said the spokesperson, Harrison Fields, in a statement. "The President continues to foster a national pride that should be celebrated daily, and he is honored to serve all Americans. The American people voted for a return to common sense, and the President is delivering on every campaign promise supported by 77 million voters and is ushering in our Golden Age." "An anti-LGBTQ administration" In addition to tangible policies, advocates say that attitudes toward LGBTQ people from the nation's highest office are contributing to higher incidences of violence against LGBTQ people and likely foreshadow harms still to come. "Overall, it is clearly an anti-LGBTQ administration," said Sarah-Kate Ellis, the president and chief operating officer at the LGBTQ media organization GLAAD. "And I think that they are consistently signaling that they want to roll back all of our hard-won rights." Mr. Trump and those in his orbit have repeatedly cast LGBTQ people and activities in a negative light. While announcing leadership shifts at the Kennedy Center in February, the president penned a social media post that pledged, in capital letters, to ensure the arts forum would no longer host drag shows "or other anti-American propaganda." His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, later said the country needs "less LGBTQ graduate majors" in an interview on Fox News criticizing Harvard University. According to advocates and academics, the administration frequently relies on political strategies to marginalize trans people that have been used against other groups in the past. The term "groomers," for example, is a historically anti-gay trope, and "gender ideology" originally demonized feminism. There were also notable moments of silence from the Trump administration, which did not acknowledge Pride Month, even as a global Pride festival took place for several weeks between May and June in Washington, D.C. LGBTQ people say that wasn't necessarily a surprise after watching their visibility decline in national forums this year, starting with mentions of "lesbian," "bisexual," "gay," "transgender," "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" being scrubbed from the White House website the day after Mr. Trump's inauguration, in a flashback to his first term. References to trans people disappeared around the same time from the website for the Stonewall National Monument, considered the birthplace of gay liberation, in a move that sparked particular outcry. Marcia P. Johnson was among the pioneering trans activists who remain named on the site despite that change. Where do LGBTQ rights stand in America? Advocates for LGBTQ rights and others in the community say they're wary of what may come next. Echoing discourse that has persisted online since Mr. Trump's campaign, Ellis said she expects a right-wing push to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage, is imminent. "Our view on this is that they will continually attack our community and find any way to dismantle our community," she said, of the right-wing forces propelling Mr. Trump. "They've only focused on trans people because they are such a small population and so marginalized. But they will go after our marriages. They will go after our families. It has always been the anti-LGBTQ movement at the center of this." At least nine state legislatures have introduced bills to reverse the Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling since Mr. Trump returned to Washington. Earlier this month, the Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly to pass a resolution that calls for the same. LGBTQ advocates emphasize that marriage equality is settled law, and research from Gallup and GLAAD demonstrate that a vast majority of Americans continue to support it. But some still worry the path to overturning Obergefell could be akin to the one that led to the fall of Roe v. Wade, which kept abortion legal for 50 years before Trump-appointed justices tipped the Supreme Court bench and struck it down. Breaking down major Supreme Court ruling on nationwide injunctions Saturday Sessions: Gordi performs "Lunch at Dune" Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez set for star-studded wedding in Venice
