This March, LGBT History Month will be held for the twelfth time in Hungary, featuring 40 different programmes across the country—not only in the capital but also in Debrecen, Pécs, and Szeged.
This year, the programme series celebrates significant LGBTQI historical anniversaries, such as the 200th birthday of Károly Kertbeny, Hungary’s first gay rights activist; the centenary of the founding of the first American gay organization; the 25th anniversary of Labrisz Lesbian Association; the 30th anniversary of the “Szivárvány” (Rainbow) Case; and the 15th anniversary of Mária Takács’s film, Eltitkolt évek [Secret Years].
Throughout the month, participants can explore the legendary Budapest nightlife of the 1990s, queer-coded representations of dance history, the history of the LGBT community in Toronto, the emergence of HIV in the Hungarian press, and the portrayal of queerness in the works of Sándor Márai. Audiences can participate in partner dancing, karaoke night, quizzes, a Wikipedia editing marathon, flag-making workshops, and city walks to discover LGBTQI historical sites in Budapest.
The opening event will take place on March 2 at the OSA Central Gallery, featuring László Mocsonaki, founder and former leader of Háttér, along with a performance by Gergő Palócz. This will be followed by a screening of the film Changing Our Minds.
Several exhibitions will accompany the programme series, including Queer hősök, queer művészet, queer történelem [Queer Heroes, Queer Art, Queer History] at Madhouse, Éva Velledits’s photography series titled Zsuzsi, a férfi [Zsuzsi, the Man] at Konfekció, and the exhibition Holnap hajnalig [Until Dawn] in Szeged.
The main sponsor of the event is the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Budapest. The series is organized by Háttér Society, Labrisz Lesbian Association, and Szimpozion Association. HVG Books has donated 400 copies of Gentleman Jack: The Secret Life of Anne Lister, which will be available as gifts at various events.
“Our goal is to bring both the LGBTQI community and the majority society closer to the history and culture of the community. We believe that knowledge is always power, which is especially needed in times when our community faces regular attacks and a multitude of false accusations,” said Péter Hanzli, one of the founders of the Hungarian LGBTQ History Month.
For more information and a detailed list of programs, visit the event’s official website.
Web: www.lmbttortenetihonap.hu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lmbttortenetihonap
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lmbttortenetihonap/
Translated by Melinda Horváth
