TGEU Countries: Hungary On some occasions, when civil society has called on the lebrities and crimes. Most stories involve events outside The Fundamental Rights Agency’s EU LGBT survey authorities to condemn these statements, the author- of Hungary, and it is very rare that a piece on Hungarian from 201215 found that 50 per cent of trans respond- ities have remained silent. As a result of the climate of issues is published. Stories by the Hungarian news agen- ents from Hungary said that in the year preceding the impunity, derogatory remarks about trans persons have cy Hungarian Telegraphic Office are sometimes popular survey they had felt personally discriminated against or become commonplace in the public sphere. and published online by many news sites. Even when harassed because they were perceived as trans. Those the stories are well-intentioned, the language used has who had been discriminated against or harassed were For the record plenty of room for improvement. To address this prob- more likely to avoid expressing their preferred gender 1. Jobbik held a press conference entitled “Our Europe lem, in 2015 a guide on LGBTI issues was prepared by than those who had not (60%, versus 40% in the EU as vs. the Europe of the bearded woman”. Conchita the Hungarian LGBT Alliance and TV, as well as a trans/ a whole). Those who had been discriminated against or Wurst was presented as an example of the latter and intersex-specific guide by TV. harassed were also more likely to avoid certain places or contrasted with examples of the former. locations for fear of being assaulted, threatened or har- 2. After Conchita Wurst won the Eurovision Song Con- assed than those who had not (68%, versus 32% in the test, and in the run-up to the European Parliament ((missing picture)) Comparison between the general population’s and trans persons’ perception of discrimination on the ground of gender identity. EU as a whole). elections the same month, Jobbik published a picture showing Conchita Wurst over an EU flag alongside To assess how trans respondents’ perceptions of dis- gender identity or gender expression, and only 4 of the a blonde Hungarian woman over the Hungarian flag, crimination on the grounds of gender identity compare 66 respondents who answered in the affirmative filed a with the words “You choose!” A spokesman for the with those of the general population, data from the EU complaint. In two of the cases, the healthcare facilities LGBT survey are presented in the following chart along- in question were not dealing with the complaints, and in side those from the Special Eurobarometer 393. Trans the two other cases an investigation had been initiated respondents in the EU LGBT survey are more likely than but there had been no follow-through. The majority of Eurobarometer survey respondents to say that discrimi- respondents (94%) did not report the incident because party had previously said Jobbik opposed “bearded women”. 3. The day after Conchita won Eurovision, Jobbik’s Youth Division posted a meme on its Facebook page. Guide for journalists by Transvanilla and the Hungarian LGBT Alliance On the left side of the picture was Conchita and a slo- As a result of the issues described above, many trans nation based on a person’s gender identity is widespread they feared getting into a worse situation, did not think gan “Their Europe”, and on the right was a family and people feel devastated from time to time. In the Tran- in their country of residence. It is important to highlight they could do anything, were afraid of being humiliated the slogan “Our Europe”. The post generated 4,962 sCare survey, 53.7 per cent of respondents reported again that only 3 per cent of Hungarian respondents in or hurt, believed that the incident was too minor or had likes, 223 comments and 5,091 shares. that they have seriously considered committing suicide the Eurobarometer survey know a trans person. no trust in the authorities. According to Transvanilla’s study ’The situation of trans- One of the root causes of discrimination and inappropri- Transvanilla has been monitoring Hungarian mass me- sexual people in Hungary in 2012’, transsexual people ate care in the healthcare system is the lack of medical dia since October 2014 with regard to its coverage of most often experienced discrimination at the hands of guidelines for trans-specific healthcare. Psychiatrists, and 44.4 per cent of those – every fourth person surveyed – has actually tried to commit suicide. + 40 + trans and intersex issues and the (mis)representation of Societal violence their schoolmates (38%) and in the healthcare system surgeons and other medical staff providing trans-specif- trans and intersex people. There is not much coverage Since Hungary has been a member of the EU, solid data (34%). The high level of healthcare discrimination is also ic healthcare are free to decide whom to treat, whether of trans issues in the media, and most of the articles can on discrimination against trans people has been collect- underlined in Transvanilla’s TransCare research: 26 % of to treat them and how to treat them. In one case, a psy- be grouped into the following categories: transsexual ed through some EU-wide research and by research respondents felt discriminated against in healthcare fa- chiatrist’s lack of knowledge resulted in his requesting “family” stories, issues involving public washrooms, ce- studies by Hungarian LGBT and trans organisations. cilities or during medical examinations because of their legal gender recognition as a prerequisite for the diag- + 41 +