Czech Republic: President Miloš Zeman calls transgender people "disgusting"

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Czech President Miloš Zeman: "I really hate these transgender people from the bottom of my heart."

Photo: GEORG HOCHMUTH / AFP

Czech President Miloš Zeman has sparked outrage with negative comments about transgender people.

He sharply criticized gender reassignment surgery and an LGBT festival in Prague planned for early August in an interview with CNN Prima News.

The conversation also dealt with the controversial anti-LGBTQ law in Hungary.

Anyone having sex reassignment surgery is committing "the crime of self-mutilation," Zeman said, for example.

"Every medical intervention is a risk - and I really hate these transgender people from the bottom of my heart," said the 76-year-old.

He thinks transgender people are "really disgusting," the president said.

Transgender means that one's own gender does not match one's physical characteristics.

Representatives of the LGBTQ community - the acronym stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people - accused Zeman of spreading hatred.

Comments like his would have a negative impact on the mental health of LGBT people.

Last week, an anti-LGBTQ law introduced by the Hungarian government led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was criticized across Europe.

The law against "advertising" for homosexuality was passed by the Hungarian parliament last week.

Educational programs on homosexuality or advertising by large companies that show solidarity with homosexuals are therefore prohibited, as are educational books on the subject.

The official goal is the protection of minors.

In the CNN interview, Zeman showed understanding for the law, which EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described as a "shame".

Von der Leyen said, among other things, that it violates all of the EU's values.

"I really don't see any reason not to agree with him," said Zeman, however, about the Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán, who initiated the anti-LGBTQ law in his country.

Orbán recently announced that he would not take it back despite the ongoing criticism.

A parliamentary election will take place in the beginning of October in the Czech Republic.

Zeman announced that he would personally vote for the populist ANO (Czech for “yes”) from Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.

Current polls predict a head-to-head race with the liberal pirate party, which, among other things, advocates the free choice of gender identity.

Zeman railed against LGBT festival in Prague

About the LGBT festival “Prague Pride”, which will take place from August 2nd to 8th this year, Zeman said: “If I were a little younger, I would organize a huge demonstration of heterosexuals in Prague, (...) um to show everyone how pointless it is. "

fek / dpa