Attila Szalontay, the AfD faction leader in the Neufahrn town council in the Freising district, publicly denigrated queer people as “mentally ill,” triggering widespread outrage. Szalontay commented on an open gathering space for queer youth that the town’s child and youth center, in collaboration with the municipal library, has offered since this year. The incident was first reported by the Munich-based Merkur newspaper.
The “Open Queer Meetup” is aimed at all people aged twelve and up who identify with the queer community or wish to support it. No registration is required; attendance is free. The program is organized by Henrik Kloth of Mobile Youth Work and Raven Knoll of the library. The last meeting was held on July 21.
AfD Defames the Offering as “Ideological Influence”
The AfD is calling for an immediate ban on this important offering: “We strictly oppose any form of early sexualization and see this series of events as ideological influence that destroys children’s modesty boundaries, undermines parental rights, and affects kids,” the far-right party fumes in a press release. In the municipal elections on March 8, the AfD captured 9.1 percent of the vote in Neufahrn and won three seats on the town council.
“For me, as a father of two minor children, an event like this is unacceptable,” Szalontay is quoted in the press release. “I personally have nothing against people who think differently about queerness; I accept their lifestyle, this is not a crime, but I see it as a mental illness. I hereby call publicly on all reasonably thinking parents to pay close attention to which events in public youth spaces their children attend,” said the party’s faction chief, who is also a member of the AfD’s national committee on foreign and security policy. “I will do everything in my power to prevent events of this kind.”
Mayor Defends the Offer for Queer Youth
Neufahrn’s first mayor Ozan Iyibas stood behind the “Open Queer Meetup.” A debate about child and youth protection as well as the role of parents is legitimate, but it requires a factual exchange rather than bans on thinking, the CSU politician told the Merkur newspaper.
Iyibas criticized the AfD faction chief’s wording in strong terms. A clear line is crossed “where people are labeled as ‘mentally ill’ due to their sexual orientation or gender identity and presented as not ‘thinking normally,'” the mayor said. Misusing the term “mentally ill” as a demeaning label only belittles those who truly live with a mental illness. Such stigmatization is dangerous and has no place in our society. “This is no longer a factual debate. It is the belittling of people.”
The Open Queer Meetup will continue to be held at the town library, Iyibas clarified. “I will be there for the next meeting myself,” he added. “Not to build a political front, but to make it clear: these young people belong to our community. They belong to our society.” As mayor, he stands for a Neufahrn where everyone belongs. Iyibas had previously, in 2020, as the CSU’s first Muslim mayoral candidate nationwide, drawn nationwide attention. (mize)
