Last week, the Hungarian parliament drew a line that the rest of the world could not ignore.
On March 18, 2025, an overwhelming majority voted to ban public Pride events. In protest, three lawmakers set off flares, filling the chamber with plumes of green, orange, and yellow smoke. Outside parliament, a crowd began to swell. Thousands took to the streets in Budapest, waving rainbow flags, chanting slogans, and accusing the government of launching an attack on LGBTQ rights.
But while the global narrative paints this as a crackdown on personal freedoms, many inside Hungary see something else: a firm stand to protect children and support parental rights.
A Decisive Vote
The new law, called the Public Protection of Minors Act, was passed with a commanding majority—136 votes in favor, 27 opposed. Its goal? To restrict public events that “promote or portray non-traditional sexual behavior” in spaces accessible to minors. That includes Pride parades, drag shows, and similar public events.
This vote also amended existing 2021 legislation that had already limited LGBTQ content in school curricula and children’s media. Lawmakers argued that those earlier measures didn’t go far enough in addressing what they described as an onslaught of sexualized ideology in public life.
Supporters of the law insist it’s not about targeting LGBTQ members. “Adults are free to live as they choose,” said Justice Minister Judit Varga, “but the public space—especially where children are present—must reflect a child-safe environment.”
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán echoed that sentiment, saying the legislation is meant to “protect the hearts and minds of Hungary’s children.” The law doesn’t forbid same-sex relationships—it simply draws a line around what is deemed appropriate for children to see in public.
It’s a line that many Hungarian parents feel has been crossed.
A Human Rights Issue?
Since 2009, Hungary has recognized registered partnerships, offering same-sex couples nearly all the rights and benefits of marriage. The new law changes none of this. Yet despite clarifications of the law’s intent, demonstrators filled the streets of Budapest. While many protests remained peaceful, some actions escalated. Groups blocked roads and intersections, refusing police orders to disperse.
At the protest outside parliament, a Russian citizen who immigrated to Hungary said that the legislation went at the heart of people’s rights to peacefully assemble. “It’s quite terrifying to be honest, because we had the same in Russia,” he said. “It was building up step by step, and I feel like this is what is going on here.”
Another demonstrator told reporters, “I grew up in a Hungary that promised freedom. Now they’re telling us to disappear again.”
Disappear? Is that what lawmakers are telling a certain class of citizens? That’s not how most Hungarians see it. For them, it’s not about silencing identity but about protecting innocence through clear public boundaries.
A Millstone Removed
At the heart of the law is a growing concern about children’s exposure to sexualized content in public. While Pride parades started as civil rights movements, critics say many modern events often feature adult themes, provocative performances, and even nudity—scenes parents may not want their kids witnessing on city streets.
In the weeks leading up to the vote, Hungarian lawmakers claimed they received thousands of letters from parents expressing concern about the influence of such events on children. One wrote, “I don’t teach my children to hate, but I will not allow others to teach them to reject our values.”
How true that we should teach our children not to hate. Something else that minors should never witness is the behavior of some counter-protestors during a past Pride parade in Hungary. A video posted by The Guardian shows them yelling vulgarities at participants.
But loving LGBTQ individuals doesn’t mean allowing them to influence minors through public events that challenge biblical teaching. During the debate in parliament, one member cited Jesus’ sobering words in Mark 9:42: “If anyone causes one of these little ones … to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea” (NIV). This verse emphasizes the weight that many Hungarians attach to the issue.
Children should be able to walk through public squares without being exposed to messages that conflict with their family’s beliefs—or with the Bible’s teachings on sexuality (Romans 1:24‒29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:15‒18; Jude 1:7).
Looking Forward
Of course, the European Union and various human rights organizations were quick to condemn the law. Hungary could face economic penalties from Brussels for what’s being called a violation of EU values.
But Hungary has made it clear: They don’t intend to follow the West’s cultural script. As Orbán put it, “We are not Russia, but we are not Brussels either.” In other words, Hungary is charting its own course—a path that balances civil liberties with what many see as a duty to protect children.
In this latest culture clash, more people will likely protest, and legal challenges may follow. But for now, the Hungarian government has taken a bold stance—one rooted in a belief that parents have a right to guard their children’s hearts “with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23).
From a biblical perspective, that’s not hate. It’s stewardship.
Here’s a helpful tool for dealing with this sensitive issue: Pure Redeeming Love: Demonstrating God’s Grace to All Touched by LGBT+ Issues.