Czech President Spreads Anti-trans Hatred With Degrading Remarks
TGEU is deeply concerned over recent statements by Czech President Miloš Zeman degrading trans people. During a CNN Prima News interview on Sunday 27 June, Zeman called trans people “disgusting” and compared gender-affirming medical care to self-harm.
The recent statement comes in support of Hungary’s introduction of a Russia-inspired anti-LGBTIQ law, which was condemned by 17 EU countries. Zeman’s words display a clear example of hate speech against a vulnerable community and are unworthy of an elected head of state. Miloš Zeman is betraying all trans people and families living in the Czech Republic, and does not only break his oath of office but also drives a further division in Europe.
TGEU Senior Policy Officer, Richard Köhler, comments:
“Trans people are no cheap populist material; bigotry and hatred have consequences in real life. President Zeman remarks contribute to jeopardising education, jobs, health, wellbeing, and the personal safety of trans people and their families.“
We call upon President Zeman to apologise immediately and meet with community representatives to learn about the real needs and concerns of trans people.
More than half of the trans people in the Czech Republic had experienced discrimination in the year before the survey, found the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in 2019.
The Czech Republic still holds on to forced sterilisation as one of the last countries in the EU, even though this was found to violate the European Social Charter in 2018. TGEU and ILGA-Europe had brought and won the complaint, which the Czech Republic has not implemented to this date.
Further information
Find out more about trans rights in the Czech Republic in TGEU’s Trans Rights Map Europe & Central Asia 2021.