Stigmatised same-sex relationships in state-socialist Hungary

Abstract

Abstract The focus of our study is on the manifestations and social environment of same-sex attraction during the state-socialist period in Hungary. In general, we are interested in the question whether there was any “gay life” at all (mainly in Budapest) during the four decades before 1990. We would like to find out in particular what kind of sexuality constructions our interviewees had in mind about themselves and their partners, and how these perceptions influenced their emotional life and partnership developments. The empirical basis of our research includes in-depth interviews (n=56) and original archive material. Keywords: homosexuality, state-socialism, social history