Being LGBT in Budapest.

blonder wrote:

Szia.  As a gay male I must say that I find the men here very sweet and sexy.  40s-60s, all have been kind and in this world no one really cares what you do but how well you connect.
I would hope that even more gay rights are realized as I do adore Budapest.

Any other LGBT in Budapest that would like to share?

We had some postings recently about gay life/venues in Budapest. 

Might be worth looking at that thread?  Maybe you read it already.

I agree with your sentiment, the human rights situation is not very progressive for LGBT people here in Hungary.

Thank you fluffy - I missed those posts.  I will search.  It's hard enough being a single gay man mid-life but I really want to am mixing LGBT lifestyle with quality of life re a great apartment not at insane prices like now as well as finding even descent part-time work.  I am a native English speaker who has made over 150 TOEIC recordings and 2 English schools rejected me...thank God I don't need the money that bad.

I'll have to ask my hairdresser where to meet people next time I write him or go for a cut.( Don't think he'd mind me asking at all)
He is in a serious relationship with a Hungarian  man so not sure they go to clubs these days.
I am slightly jealous of his wonderful life, they travel everywhere all the time all over Europe, not sure they sit sill long enough in Hungary to go clubbing but I'll ask next time.
My husband is very, very straight but he used to know allot of gay men in HUngary  and in Cal all Hungarians as well.
We even lived in a house for a few months in Hollywood which was headed up by a older HU guy who was gay, he made sure we all had our soup which he cooked all the time in that old Hippie house.Funny to think back on that.
It was more important to stick together as Hungarians in a strange country like the US then to be against someone because of their sexual preferences.
He is 70 and believe it or not even though growing up in HU in the 60's it was illegal to be gay, he and his straight friends didn't make it a issue.
Seems people really are not that narrow minded in Hungary even the older generation isn't. They were just afraid to open up about it since it could of meant jail time or a stay in a hospital back in the day.
I know the Rudas spa used to be a place to meet people but not sure any longer.

The reason I mentioned the Rudas is really old news however.
Way back in the 50's my husband was a child and was taken there with his uncle allot. His uncle went there once or twice a week. Of course nothing happened to my husband ever, no one bothers kids or let's things get out of hand . Just saying they had their men only days.
His uncle we think was gay but not sure.
He once asked a women to marry him when he was in his early 20's. Her father refused the request because she was from a rich family and he wasn't. He was the oldest child of his widowed mother and helped support his younger siblings, all 8 of them plus his mom.
His heart was broken and he never as far as the family knew ever dated or went out again with a women.
He lived till his mid 80's and still no partner.
My MIL's single friends always asked about him, he was very good looking in his youth but he was never interested in any of them.
He did however like going to the Rudas.
I think his story is a bit sad though, all those years alone.

Yes.  Rudas men’s days are wonderful but with many staff walking around nothing happens sexually.  You can chat or enjoy eye candy

No one can stop you from going for coffee...
it's so odd for me to even try and give advice here, way outta my league as a long time married straight senior citizen but people do share info.
If you would of asked me in the mid 70's about the gay men's scene in Los Angles, I could tell you allot. Lived with a gay man as a teen runaway aged 17. We used to dance at the best places....

I am still waiting for your book Marilyn!  Always love reading your posts.
The best way to understand a country is through the eyes of an expat/foreigner living there for many years!
Hugs to your replies - you sound like a lovely lady.

Thanks, I do have my haters and a few "lost" souls that think I might have some  in' to say.
It is so bad sometimes, the older one gets the looser the lips... Tell it like it is which doesn't always fly with everyone....
Need to carry a gag with me!

I know a gay male married couple that moved from USA to Budapest a few years ago. I know they brought a place in Budapest around Okagon and i know they own a house in Serbia i think also. I have not heard that they had any issues being openly gay older men. Budapest has a high number of gay men so i think a guy that liked men would be comfortable here.

But i am not gay so i honestly do not know! he hee. One friend of mine from Spain said there are many Rent boys here which i have no idea what that even is but whatever.

I would feel more concerned if someone was girl gay as i have heard that is looked down upon. Once again i have no idea just what i heard from some people. (The woman who lives above us, her son told me that his gf was a fornet friend lesbian with some woman. He is a lawyer and said she felt he did not make enough money so she was doing this! That is just beyond strange. Most likely a lie but what he said to me)

I think you will enjoy it.

Rent boyz... Sounds so strange, guess in the day they were known as gigolo's?
A Hu guy we have known for many decades passed away in HI about 3 years back. His HU wife brought his ashes back to HU to be laid to rest with his parents in the catacombs of a church in Buda.
We went to his funeral here.
Anyways... story is he met his HU wife here in HU when he was hired to film a Lesbian prono movie.
He must of like what he saw...
Of topic, have not been able to talk to my friend here as of yet about clubs or groups here in HU. Soon though.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Rent boyz... Sounds so strange, guess in the day they were known as gigolo's?
...
Anyways... story is he met his HU wife here in HU when he was hired to film a Lesbian prono movie.
...

As far as I understand it rent boys are male prostitutes for men - see the film Midnight Cowboy (Dustin Hoffman etc - sort of about rent boys).   Gigolos would be male escorts for women. 

Hungary is well known for making porno movies - all that movie making knowledge has to go somewhere!

Afraid I will def go off topic about gigolo's....
My father actually and I am not kidding one bit, was a professional gigolo after my parents divorced.
A wild and rare thing back in the mid 1960's... At least in our little world it was very off beat.
He was very good looking, could dance and tells the best jokes, the ladies loved him and the men wanted to be him. No idea on earth why he ever got married and had 4 legit kids, not talking about the other children...Well one other was legit, lives in Japan from his first wife, a war bride.
How else did he never work, never pay child support but live in a mansion in Bel Air among other nice places, always with a older wealthy divorced or widowed women, never go without a nice car and new clothing and always have his hair in perfect order.... Just saying daddy's was a rolling stone for sure. Ok, off topic, sorry folks.
I may be a straight old lady but believe me, I have heard it all and seen allot, no judgements from me. Not my job to judge anyone's lifestyle, hard enough to live my own life let alone control other people.
This  could  be the beginning of a good joke... What happens to gigolo's when they get old...
Anyways in my father's case when his days were numbered and he was aging. He just collected his tiny bit of SS and married, this is odd, he married a first generation American women who's parents were Hungarian. She worshiped the ground he walked on too and in her own way let him be a househusband while she worked. Not fair  it seems he got it easy all the time, she even cooked wonderful Hungarian foods for him and walked in the pouring rain to buy his beer and cigs..Some people are just lucky or have a little conscience about using others.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

....
My father actually and I am not kidding one bit, was a professional gigolo after my parents divorced.
A wild and rare thing back in the mid 1960's... At least in our little world it was very off beat.
He was very good looking, could dance and tells the best jokes, the ladies loved him and the men wanted to be him. No idea on earth why he ever got married and had 4 legit kids, not talking about the other children...Well one other was legit, lives in Japan from his first wife, a war bride.
How else did he never work, never pay child support but live in a mansion in Bel Air among other nice places, always with a older wealthy divorced or widowed women, never go without a nice car and new clothing and always have his hair in perfect order.... Just saying daddy's was a rolling stone for sure. ....
I may be a straight old lady but believe me, I have heard it all and seen allot, no judgements from me. Not my job to judge anyone's lifestyle, hard enough to live my own life let alone control other people.
This  could  be the beginning of a good joke... What happens to gigolo's when they get old...
Anyways in my father's case when his days were numbered and he was aging. He just collected his tiny bit of SS and married, this is odd, he married a first generation American women who's parents were Hungarian. She worshiped the ground he walked on too and in her own way let him be a househusband while she worked. Not fair  it seems he got it easy all the time, she even cooked wonderful Hungarian foods for him and walked in the pouring rain to buy his beer and cigs.....

Sounds to me like you could get a book or a film script out of that story.  Go for it!  Winter's coming (both in Game of Thrones and) in Budapest so for those long nights, get scribbling/typing!

As for off topic, the LGBT thing has so many add on bits these days.  It could be SLGBTIPA to encompass all - Straight, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Intersex, Pan, Asexual - I've probably forgotten some group there or got them in the wrong order.

Thanks, it would be more a saga then a book of real interest.

Agree.  Marilyn must write a book!  A life worth noted. <3
I’ve been to the 2 gay saunas in Budapest and they are very social. 
Have a beer, went to a tea party inside the Finnish sauna where they had aromatherapy classes.  Magyar men are the sexiest in the world.
One sauna manager told me if I passed my citizenship he would give me a 50% off lifelong pass. He kept his word.  The men teach me history and language lexicon just like at men’s day at Rudás. Very social and very nice men.
Great to see a lawyer engaged with a plumber as no rank system exists. 
I don’t drink so bars bore me as well as nightclubs. Saunas are intimate and social.
Money boys are everywhere but I’ve met only a few online and chat.  They usually sell services as massage with happy ending. I’m not interested unless they are really great at massage.
Many gay couples and I just love the innocence or just plain kindness and no attitude... maybe the 20 something’ but I have zero interest in attitude or under 40.  I like equals and intelligent men and there are many around.
Speaking Magyar is a huge benefit in making friends. I still blank out at times or they tell me I’m too polite but that’s just my personality in any language.  Sorry, I don’t know about lesbian life.  Not my forte.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Thanks, it would be more a saga then a book of real interest.

Hey, if they can make comedy films out of North Korea, they could make your saga into the next hit at Cannes or Sundance.

This is extreme to admit BUT, I told and I mean it too, if I was born a male, I probably would not be into women so much either.
Having only one child a son, I can see how some women just are so hard and cruel , men are often more romantic then women are, at least my boy is that way.
When I was 17 I met many gay men through my sister and her friends, I ran away from home and one took me in as his little sister, he really protected me and gave me a home.
Had to move on when I turned 18 because I could tell that lifestyle for a very young straight female was just hurting me, used to fall in love from afar  with so many really sweet guys who were just big mama's to me.Some even borrowed my best scarf's and never returned them... heartbreakers...
Lots of pressure on straight guys to be sweet, manly at all times plus head of the house. Maybe times are changing but with so many women  acting more tough and stronger then many men, why do they need women any more, really? Why not have a mate who at least can share clothing with you at the least.
Odd I know but gay men have the most fun I think.

Sorry.
I wanted to correct this, "Money boys are everywhere but I’ve met only a few online and chat. "

"I meant to say that money people are everywhere in the world " - I have zero interest but that's just me.

blonder wrote:

Agree.  Marilyn must write a book! .

I agree. I would buy a copy. And I would travel to Budapest to get is signed by the author.

Some here complain about her posts. Why? I have no clue. I can only surmise they simply do not appreciate a good story teller.

Yes, exactly, nothing better then finding a real soul mate and knowing both parties are committed. And I am not talking about a asylum!!

You are all too sweet.
People do not like reality...Been there and done that.
I really think everyone's life is full of interesting stories.
Not to go off topic but has anyone experiences any "gender bending" events in their lives?
A few I can recall are these:
As a cute Ca. gal of aged 17 I went to San Diego with my 21 year old friend, a female to meet up with several of her gay buddies.
We all hit it off and had a blast, this was about 1973.We spent 4 days in SD and got to know everyone, really nice and had a great time.
One openly gay teenager , his parents were super cool with things. wanted me to wear his grandfathers tux with tails and top hat to a concert we all were going to.We spent the 4 days in his parents home.
It was from the 1930's and in perfect condition, his grandfather was a small man because the tux fit me to a T. I wore it, my friends painted a moustache  on me to go with my bright red lipstick.
Pre Victor/ Victoria...
Got a ton of strange looks but it was fun to be gender neutral for the day.

Another time which almost had my husband question me was in 1975 when we were dating. We went dancing with his friends at the old Starwood club in Hollywood.
We all sat having drinks and watching the dance floor.
2 women were dancing together and everyone was laughing and being jerks at our table, everyone was speaking in Hungarian and I had no clue what they were saying but I didn't like the negative energy.
I just got up and started dancing with the 2 women to shut everyone up.
My husband looked a bit out of joint but he is alright, I could really care less what the others at our table thought of me.
I was not trying to show off but I was so mad at everyone at my table for acting so close minded.
Not so sure I would do the same these days but never know, don't make plans on how I'll respond day to day.
I had to know if my husband was a jerk or not one reason I did that. He was slightly put out but not much. he passed the test after all.Thought that was the perfect time to know what sort of person he was.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

You are all too sweet.
People do not like reality...Been there and done that.
I really think everyone's life is full of interesting stories.
......

You could always get a ghost writer on the job! 

Could be a fun read!