In a bold and defiant stance against Hungary’s worsening anti-LGBTQ+ climate, the Hungarian edition of Elle magazine has chosen to spotlight gay fathers on its front cover. Hubert Hlatky Schlichter, a Hungarian restaurateur, and his husband, Laszlo Szegedi, a neurosurgeon, grace the cover, tenderly kissing their baby daughter, Hannabel. Elle Hungary, in sharing this cover on Instagram, expressed its commitment to fostering acceptance of rainbow families while advocating for love and diverse family forms across the nation.
The accompanying post on Instagram read, “Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, caring, and supportive environment and no one can prevent this based on their parents’ gender identity or sexual orientation.” In the pages of the magazine, Hubert and Laszlo open up about the discrimination they’ve faced in Hungary, particularly as they welcomed their precious daughter into the world.
Hungary, under the leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has seen a string of legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ families over the years. Orbán’s policies have amended the Hungarian constitution to narrowly define families and have effectively made same-sex marriage illegal. A 2020 law even restricts adoption to only married couples, thereby excluding same-sex couples from the possibility of adopting children.
Orbán’s attempted legislation this year, which would have allowed citizens to report LGBTQ+ families to authorities, was met with a veto from Hungary’s president, Katalin Novák, marking an unusual break from her otherwise staunch support of Orbán. This government has also taken aim at the transgender community, banning legal gender changes for transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals in 2020.
Furthermore, LGBTQ+ topics have been prohibited in schools and the media, with books depicting LGBTQ+ relationships required to be wrapped in foil. This hostile environment has led to fines for those who challenge these norms, such as a recent penalty imposed on a bookshop for not concealing a book depicting LGBTQ+ relationships.
While the sight of a same-sex couple on a magazine cover might seem unremarkable in other parts of the world, in Hungary, it symbolizes a significant step towards positive queer representation in the media. The magazine’s Instagram comment section has been flooded with messages of support and celebration, reflecting the enduring resilience of love and hope in the face of adversity.
In the words of one commenter, “My hope is strengthened that maybe many other children can still have a wonderful life with wonderful parents like them. Sincere, true love really conquers all, loving and being loved from your heart is what really matters.” Elle Hungary’s decision to spotlight love and diversity serves as a beacon of hope in Hungary’s challenging LGBTQ+ landscape.
