(President of the Association "Homeros-Lambda")

Today there are about 500,000 homosexuals living in Hungary. The law does not punish those who have reached the age of majority. They no longer have to dread prison or repression, but fear insecurity, threats and humiliation still exist. In Hungary as in the rest of the western world, the social judgement of homosexuals has on the whole become less harsh since the '70s. Articles have been published in many papers on the subject of homosexuality which is described as a disease rather than as a crime. At the beginning of the '80s, the WHO (World Health Organization) qualified homosexuality as a "state", rather than treating it as a "disease".

In this manner, social opinion judged it more lightly. New decisions were made. Homosexuals were no longer banished from the army. The regulation which stated that homosexuals were unsuited for military service has been banned, the Protestant churches were prepared to consecrate those theologians who had publicly declared their homosexuality. Hungarian family rights allowed for the possibility of couples of the same sex, even concerning hereditary rights. It seems that this tabu was slowly disappearing. In the autumn of 1986, in these new social conditions, we first had the idea of forming an association. But the negative attitude of the authorities, the threats and the "losing" of our official requests prevented the implementation of our project. So the tabu still existed, and public opinion had not changed either.

At the beginning of 1988, the reorganized Health Ministry accepted "the supreme authority" of the associaiton, and two years after the presentation of our request we received authorization to create an organization, the first of its kind in Hungary.

In this somewhat mitigated atmosphere from the social point of view, the AIDS problem suddenly exploded, and unexpectedly aborted this "meek and mild" climate. As happened everywhere, even in Hungary homosexuals were accused of carrying the plague of our epoch, and the religious spoke of a punishment from God.

This was another reason why our organization decided to collaborate with the social instutions to combat this killer disease.

We founded the only anonymous "AIDS Assistance" organization, where people were not obliged to give their real name, even when their test result was positive. We organized a course to help AIDS sufferers. People "taught" by us helped the ill, regardless of how they had contracted the disease. In other words, not only "gays" and also those who did not yet need hospital treatment but who already needed someone's help. We tried to explain to people that AIDS was introduced to Hungary through the health services, that is, through infected blood and was not brought in by homosexuals. Still today about 60% of homosexuals are sero-positive.

In spite of these efforts, society is increasingly intolerant of us. Our advertisements, our activities and even our existence are criticized. And the official authorities, the police and the municipality have all had a hand in this.

It is a very tough challenge for us to try and get the family law of 1986 modified. It changes the single word "consort" into "consort of a different sex", and is an important disadvantage for homosexual couples with a "stable relationship". We decided to fight, to protect the rights of the "gay" minority and so we are struggling for the right to live with one another, and also to be a couple inthe eyes of the law.

From the beginning of September 1988 we have been members of the ILGA, from which we receive only an "ideal"contribution, but we must be able to resolve financial problems by ourselves, though this is a hard task. With great difficulty, we created a centre for cultural entertainment, the "Local" but unfortunately, even here we have to face a lot of attacks and threats every day.

This year for the second time, we organized the Eastern European Homosexual Council. This association's importance is invaluable, since in most of East Europe homosexuality is still forbidden today. Through ILGA we also took legal action for "gays" illegally inmprisoned in Rumania. Our aim is to fight against AIDS together with the official social institutions, to make ourselvesknown to people, to ensure justice and really democratic laws, and to get our existance accepted. Homosexuality is a serious problem all over East Europe, indeed, all over Europe. This is why I believe, rather we believe, that the creation of the United States of Europe is both essential and urgent. Perhaps for us it is truly important, for in our opinion, this project which the transnational Radical Party wants to achieve is still a vague dream, even if it is not too far off. It is the dream of a Europe where minorities - of any kind - have equal rights and equal treatment, independantly of State or nation. Until today, our

association in Hungary is the only "gay" organization which represents the interests of Hungarian homosexuals. At the moment we are 400; most of our members are young.

I should like it to be possible to realize this "dream", so that these young men can one day live openly, no longer afraid, in a more human way and in a much more human Europe.

Address to the Association: PF 22 - 1387 Budapest