Europe's most popular festival says 'LGBTQ+ representation is essential'

With Pride Month in full swing, a festival has come out to champion the importance of queer performance and art. Every year, thousands flock to Budapest to experience one of Europe’s most popular music festivals: Sziget, which begins August 6.

As a festival with a strong history of LGBTQ+ presence with its Magic Mirror stage, they have spoken out against Hungary’s recent ban on Budapest's Pride march. Earlier this year, the Hungarian government passed amendment to the constitution enabling the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, as reported by NBC.

On their Instagram, Sziget stated: “Despite the current developments in Hungary our commitment remains – and becomes more important. At Sziget, we stand for freedom, love, acceptance and expression – values we’ve upheld since the very beginning of the island of freedom.

They added: "These aren’t just festival ideals – they’re human rights. That’s why we believe Pride belongs in the streets of Budapest – open, visible, and accessible to all.”

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György Ujvári-Pintér, the program and venue manager of Magic Mirror, reveals the importance of LGBTQ+ representation at the festival, particularly in region which has faced pushback against LGBTQ+ rights. He tells The Mirror: “Sziget Festival has a long tradition of openness, as its motto also stresses: it is the Island of Freedom (Sziget meaning Island in Hungarian).”

He continues: “This attitude is broadly communicated by the festival… [Sziget] promotes tolerance and empathy, as well as the importance of understanding of what may seem “distant” from one’s own identity in their everyday life.

“Thus, I strongly believe that Sziget vehicles values that are important for the LGBTQ+ communities and makes them feel safe in a country of which political communication tends to create social tensions on many levels and punishes those who don’t follow the so-called standards.”

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In the past, the Magic Mirror has had to fight against discriminatory regulations imposed on it by Hungary’s government. In 2022, the government demanded that the LBGTQ+ stage be made inaccessible to anyone under the age of 18 due to a law banning gay people from school educational materials or TV shows for under-18s. György told Dazed in 2023 that despite the pressure placed on them, they refused to follow these demands.

In this environment, ensuring representation for LGBTQ+ individuals in the music space is essential. From Gyorgy’s perspective, queer identity has evolved and deepened greatly over the past 30 years. When choosing a line-up, he says: “I always try to go with this flow and pick the newest tendencies while maintaining an overall vision on the community which is also composed of not-so-young audiences.”

This year, Magic Mirror’s organisers plan to increase their focus on questions that aren’t so readily visible – and to spotlight queer women. Just some of the acts, Gyorgy shares, will include Butch Tribute from Norway, who will perform a lecture on the notion of the Butch in the lesbian culture, as well as Australia’s YUCK Circus, who will focus on toxic masculinity from a female perspective.

Marga Alfeirao’s LOUNGE – a contemporary dance – will also be featured, which Gyorgy says he programmed on International Female Orgasm Day (August 8th). There will also be a performance Queenz from London, which will see the group playing classic gay hits.

In terms of safety, Gyorgy says that they have a “solid and loyal group of volunteers composed of queer people” who watch for others during the event. He adds: “The very pacific and civilised culture of Sziget emanates the feeling of peace and understanding, so we are not used to confronting bullying or acts of violence.”

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