In June 2021, the Hungarian parliament adopted a controversial bill banning the portrayal of homosexuality and gender transitioning in content for minors. The backlash from other member states was immediate, but the law stays in place and will particularly impact queer artists in the country. Béton Bleu Magazine talked to writer and blogger Tibor Rácz-Stefán about the implications of the law and is showing art by queer Hungarian artists.

Béton Bleu: You have published several novels and you have a popular blog in Hungary. What is the focus of your writing?

Tibor Rácz-Stefán: I write novels, which I would love to read as well. As a teen it would have been a great experience to read an LGBTQ+ novel, it would have helped me a lot to accept myself as gay. That is why I always have at least one LGBTQ+ character in my novels and I also choose topics that interest me, like bullying or the life of a girl with cancer. As a writer and blogger, I feel it is so important to highlight diverse, feminist or LGBTQ+ books which are not only good but also thought-provoking.

BB: Is the majority of your readers from Hungary?

TRS: I haven't published a novel abroad yet, so I have "only" Hungarian readers.

BB: In your work, you write about LGBTQ+ characters and queer life. Has it been hard being a queer writer in Hungary in the past?

TRS: I don’t feel like being gay has been a downside or an advantage. But I do feel very lucky, because my publisher and my readers are supporting me and I can write what I want. When I published my first novel in 2014, there were only few LGBTQ+ novels available in Hungary. But I still had a chance to debut and for that I am really greatful.

BB: Have you been targeted before?

TRS: I am of Roma nationality and overweight, so I'm much more likely to be attacked in my everyday life. Especially during my school years, which were hard because of that. Fortunately I was not insulted for being gay and I received a lot of acceptance. For example, at one time I lived with five straight guys in complete harmony in an apartment.

BB: How do you think the new law will change your work as a writer?

TRS: I expect that my novels will reach fewer readers. I primarily write Young Adult stories, which is exactly the target audience that won't be able to read them. This law makes me angry, because I know exactly how much it means for a LGBTQ+ person to meet characters they can really identify with.

BB: Will it change what you write about and/or the way you work? Are you afraid there will be repercussions or increased pressure on you?

TRS: I don't want to change as a writer, I want to continue writing about what interests me, whether it's two boys, two girls or a boy and a girl falling in love. Love is love, and I think it's important to keep it that way in all circumstances.
I hope that there will be no change in my work, but of course I am afraid. I do not know what the future will bring, and this uncertainty is the worst of all. This makes writing hard, because my head is full of fear and that doesn’t help to make new stories.

BB: How are artists and writers around you reacting to this law?

TRS: Lots of Hungarians are upset about that law. Together with more than 200 children's and YA writers, we issued a proclamation calling for equality. I talked to a lot of fellow writers and they were upset too and expressed their solidarity. Every time I scroll through my TikTok wall, I see young creators constantly speaking out against the law and for equality.

I feel that if we had to look for something good in this horror, it would definitely be that the LGBTQ+ community can see that we are not alone and there are lots of Hungarians supporting and accepting us. And I think that's wonderful.

BB: Do you think there will be people who decide to leave Hungary? What about yourself?

TRS: I think a lot of Hungarians have thought about leaving the country. I did too, but I don't want to leave my home, my mother, and my friends. However, I feel if Fidesz wins the elections in 2022, I will have to go while I still can. Until the borders are closed. Until the unthinkable happens...

BB: The European Union has already announced that it will investigate the legislation. Are you hopeful that this will change anything?

TRS: Fidesz has been in big conflict with the European Union directives for years, yet no substantive steps have been taken. At the most, Hungary will not receive a couple of subsidies, but Fidesz would build propaganda out of that too. I do not believe that the EU can save us Hungarians. Only we can save ourselves by not voting for Fidesz in the spring of 2022.

BB: How would you describe the queer art community in Hungary? Is a lot happening "underground"/under the radar, or has the LGBTQ+ community been very open and vocal despite the political pressure?

TRS: Let me tell you a story. I recently saw a video on one of the most well-known Youtube channels. It is called Partizán, the founder is a gay men, and the channel is not Fidesz-friendly. They were looking for a new studio and received feedback that they could not rent the studio, because they were not making Fidesz-friendly content. I think this says everything about the pressure that politics can put on Hungarian artists.
In any case, I feel like we are an open community and stand up for each other because we are stronger together.

BB: Have you noticed changes over the past years?

TRS: I feel that every year the Hungarians are becoming more and more accepting, especially the younger people and those who live in Budapest. I think we had an easier life, and I had a positive feeling for the future. And then Fidesz dropped that bomb…

BB: What are your hopes for your future as a writer?

TRS: I just wish everything could work the way it used to. To have the freedom for words and thoughts, and to write what my heart dictates. My publisher and my readers stand by me. They are amazing. And I hope the law won't cancel me as a writer, as a person, and as a gay man.

Interview: Thorsten Schröder

About Tibor Rácz-Stefán:

Tibor Rácz-Stefán is 33 years old and lives in Budapest. He works as a marketing assistant, writer and book blogger. Find more of his work here.

The artists:

Barbara Mihályi

Ádám Dallos

Annamária Kmetyó

Gideon Horvath

(C) 02/07/2021

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