Transgender couple angry at new Hungary ban
Transgender couple angry at new Hungary ban
For Hungarian transgender couple Tamara Csillag and Elvira Angyal life is on hold, their wedding is postponed, and they are angry.
Hungary last month banned people from changing their gender on identity documents, in a move LGBT+ advocates said was creating panic among transgender people who feared an increase in discrimination and attacks.
Freddie Joyner reports
*RESENDING VIDEO CORRECTING STILL IMAGE AT 2.00* For Hungarian transgender couple Tamara Csillag and Elvira Angyal life is on hold, their wedding is postponed, and they are angry.
Last month, Hungary banned people from changing their gender on identity documents.
It was a move that LGBT+ advocates said was creating panic among transgender people, who feared a rise in discrimination and attacks.
Tamara, who’s 57, filed her paperwork two years ago -- just days before the government temporarily banned alterations to identity documents.
That ban is now permanent.
Elvira, who’s 53, completed her paperwork years before.
But Tamara is forced to write "Thomas" on official documents.
The couple have put their wedding plans on hold while Tamara is forced to remain legally male.
"The present government creates a worsening political situation for us.
Because like it or not, we have been around the country, have been to restaurants, plazas, many places and there were very few negative reactions to us.
I think just like many people verbally abuse overweight people or very small people.
In my opinion, - and this may offend some - the government generates the negative criticism." Expensive gender reassignment procedures are legal in Hungary and subsidized by the state, to a small extent.
Gay marriage is not recognized, but legal partnership is.
Rights groups say hostility to LGBT+ people has increased since nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a third term in 2018.
At the time the law was passed in parliament, the government said it left everyone, quote, "free to exercise their identities as they wish".
But Tamara disagrees - and says the government is targeting her, and preventing her from completing her documentation.
