Hungary: Creative resistance to anti LGBTQI+ laws
The decision of the government of Hungary to protect children and young people from queer content in books and magazines has been and continues to be widely publicized. Now, however, certainly one of the most creative protest actions has been launched.
There is no demonstrating, nor is there any scolding. Rather, the people behind the book "The most beautiful dress in the world" show how it can be possible to make people aware of this important issue.
What's behind the book?
The original version of the book "The most beautiful dress in the world" was written in German. Here everything revolves around Anna. However, the girl looks like a boy to the rest of the world. That is why her friends call her simply "Paul". Not out of malice, but simply because they don't know any better.
This book is not only aimed at children and teenagers, but on closer inspection also at adults who feel like a change of perspective or who want to identify with the main character.
This succeeds so well, among other things, because the story does not start "somewhere" or "sometime", but with Anna's or Paul's birth. The reader follows her/him through many important steps on the way to the first day of school and gains insight into a person who noticed from an early age that she/he might have been born in the wrong body, but this does not mean that she/he has to be unhappy. Accordingly, the work could well be aimed at parents of trans people who - perhaps especially at the beginning - do not know how to deal with the situation in question.
Anna's mother remains relaxed and thus becomes a role model.
Publisher brings out "The most beautiful dress in the world" in Hungarian
A look at the plot summary shows that the topic around Anna or around Paul is more topical than ever. However, the desire for more tolerance naturally plays an important role not only in this country, but also in other countries around the world, including Hungary.
Therefore, the publisher of "The Most Beautiful Dress in the World" has decided to put the book on the market also in a Hungarian translation.
The campaign is already being welcomed by many people, even outside the community. Perhaps also because the numerous loving illustrations show how much heart is in the project.
By the way, in Hungarian the book is called: "A világ legszebb ruhája". It can be downloaded free of charge from the pages of 100mensch.de. Who would like, can inform however also still further on the sides of the organization about the developments approximately around the current laws in Hungary.
What is special about this kind of protest?
Many action alliances agree on one thing: the queers in Hungary must be helped. The idea of translating a book about a girl who looks like a boy (and also wants to be called "Paul" accordingly) into Hungarian sends a special signal.
And it does so in several respects. On the one hand, it is about giving people who may be directly affected by the homophobic laws in Hungary literature that can create hope. On the other hand, the fact that the work is being published right now and free of charge in Hungarian is a hint with a fencepost that actually cannot be overlooked.
The book itself does not explicitly refer to the situation in Hungary. Rather, the combination of text, images and language speaks for itself.
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