The government of Hungary has prohibited individuals under the age of 18 from visiting the World Press Photo exhibition in Budapest due to the presence of LGBT content in some of the photographs. This decision aligns with Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s nationalist government, which promotes a Christian-conservative agenda. In 2021, the government passed a law banning the “display and promotion of homosexuality” in books and films accessible by individuals under 18, despite facing strong criticism from rights groups and the European Union.
The Hungarian National Museum ceased selling tickets for the photo exhibition to youngsters after the far-right political party Mi Hazank/Our Homeland initiated a government inquiry. The party stated that the exhibition violated child protection laws and, as a result, individuals under 18 are now prohibited from visiting the exhibition at the National Museum. This new rule was later announced on the museum’s website.
No responses were provided to the emailed questions from Reuters by the exhibition organizer and government spokesperson. Earlier this year, Hungarian booksellers were fined for selling books featuring homosexuality that were not properly wrapped in plastic, as mandated by legislation.
The 2021 law, which the government claims is meant to safeguard children, has caused distress within the LGBT community.
Reporting by Krisztina Than; editing by David Evans
