Samantha Power, the head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), met with LGBTQ and intersex activists in Budapest, Hungary, on February 10. The discussion involved Budapest Pride President Viktoria Radvanyi and András Léderer, the Head of Advocacy for the Hungarian Helsinki Committee. They discussed the experiences of LGBTQI+ people in Hungary, and their ongoing efforts to promote awareness, support marginalized groups and improve the lives of LGBTQI+ people.
A USAID spokesperson emphasized the United States’ commitment to standing by LGBTQI+ people and all marginalized groups in their fight for equality.
The Hungarian government has recently taken severe measures against LGBTQ and intersex rights, including a 2020 law that banned legal gender recognition of transgender and intersex people. The 2021 anti-LGBTQ propaganda law was also noted, which was “copy and pasted” from Russia.
Same-sex couples were effectively banned from adopting children, and marriage was defined in the constitution as only between a man and a woman. Last July, the European Commission sued Hungary over the country’s propaganda law.
The USAID meeting provided an opportunity to discuss and share examples of resilience amid growing homophobia and transphobic government policies in Hungary. The activists who attended the meeting with Power felt honored that she had dedicated her time to discussing Hungarian LGBTQ issues.
