Dolls, Lego bricks ...

Hungary tightens homosexuality law

According to pro-government media, the law also affects toys. Lego bricks and Lego figures in rainbow colors could therefore no longer be available in the future.(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

The Hungarian government has tightened the controversial law aimed at keeping minors away from homosexuality and transsexuality. The ban will now not only affect books, magazines and films, but also toys such as dolls and Lego bricks, as reported by Hungarian media critical of the government.

Since June 2021, the so-called Child Protection Act has prohibited books, films and other media depicting sexuality that deviates from heterosexuality from being made accessible to children and young people. Such products may only be sold in retail outlets in packaged form and not in children's departments.

The new ordinance stipulates that all products that address "deviation from birth sex, gender reassignment, propaganda for homosexuality or depiction of sexuality as an end in itself" may not be sold within 200 meters of churches, schools and other childcare facilities under any circumstances.

A bookstore chain has been fined a record amount because of the book "Heartstopper", in which two teenage boys fall in love.(Bild: APA/AFP/ATTILA KISBENEDEK)

Non-heterosexual content "in children's bedrooms"
The ordinance does not name the products affected. However, media close to the government have already criticized the fact that non-heterosexual content has "entered children's rooms" in the past - in the form of dolls whose gender can be changed or Lego bricks in rainbow colors.

The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had always justified its regulation with the aim of protecting children. At the beginning of this year, a paedophilia scandal that deeply shook Hungary politically ran counter to this: President Katalin Novák pardoned a man convicted of aiding and abetting child abuse. The case sparked mass protests and Novák was forced to resign.