Routes, Restrictions, Resistance (3R): Comparison of Budapest and Pécs Pride

The paper presents two cases of LGBTQI+ mobilisation in the urban context of Hungary by focusing on the organisation of Pride marches in Budapest (the capital) and Pécs (a county seat) between 2022-2023. In Hungary, even though there is "a gradual extension of public space use" regarding LGBTQI+ events (Takács, 2014), the presence of anti-gender movements (Kuhar & Paternotte, 2017), paradoxical right-wing sexual politics (Barát, 2022), (selective) pronatalist reproductive politics (Szalma & Sipos, 2024) and genderphobia (Takács et al., 2022) can be identified. The paper departs from the different academic understandings of Pride: commercialisation, commodification (Browne & McCartan, 2020; Conway, 2022; Domínguez Ruiz, 2019; Turesky & Jae-an Crisman, 2023), assimilation, resistance, performativity (Butler, 2015), and a tool for legal recognition, visibility and awareness-raising (Ammaturo, 2016; Ayoub, 2015; Duggan, 2010; Guasti & Bustikova, 2023; Renkin, 2015; Slootmaeckers, 2023). In selecting the two cases of Pride marches, the paper presents a multiplication of Pride marches (Ammaturo, 2016). The two-year comparison timeframe is given as Pride marches have been organised in Pécs only since 2022 - compared to 1997 in Budapest. The paper analyses three aspects concerning the Pride marches held in Budapest and Pécs through the 3R conceptual lens (Routes-Restrictions-Resistance) developed by Sipos & Bagyura (2023): the spatial routes of Pride marches, related restrictions, and the resistance to and of LGBTQI+ visibility in an urban setting. This conceptual framework provides a deeper understanding of urban space use by visualizing routes and the visibility of the LGBTQI+ community and allies. After space use related normative and practical restrictions are presented (eg. the legal framework or the urban structure), followed by capturing elements of resistance within the community and against their visibility and claims through the Pride marches and protests. Following the 3R framework, we conduct interviews with the organisers of both events. We expect to find common points: motivations for and challenges of organisation. Some expected differences are how the organisers adapt to the practical aspects of the urban space - especially possible resistance to Pride marches. Furthermore, we expect organisers within Pécs to rely on previous Pride march experiences and good practices.