Imrich Matyáš (24 April 1896, Bratislava – 18 October 1974, Bratislava) was one of the earliest activist in Czechoslovakia to fight for the equal rights of sexual minorities and the decriminalization of homosexuality.[1] He was a contributor to the first Czechoslovak queer periodical, Hlas sexuální menšiny ("Voice of the Sexual Minorities").[1]
Imrich Matyáš | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 24 April 1896  Bratislava |
| Died | 18 October 1974 (aged 78) Bratislava |
| Occupation | LGBT rights activist |
Early life
editImrich was born in Bratislava (then part of the Kingdom of Hungary and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) to a family with aristocratic roots. After serving as soldier in the Italian front of World War I, he began a lifelong career as a clerk at the Social Security and Retirement Benefits Institute.[2] He started advocating for the rights of homosexuals from 1919.[2]
Activism
editImrich's work as an advocate for homosexuality has been influenced by the writings of German sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld and activist Kurt Hiller.[3] Along with them, he was a member of the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee and the World League for Sexual Reform.[4] To aid Bratislava's queer community, he authored a manual for gay people abound how to defend themselves in the criminal justice system.[5]
After World War II, the new Czechoslovak government continued the criminalisation of homosexual acts and the new Penal Code of 1950 made it punishable to up to one year of imprisonment.[1][6] Imrich actively argued against the legislation and tried to convince officials about amending it.[6] Homosexuality was finally decriminalised in Czechoslovakia on 29 November 1961.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Pathways to Decriminalization of Homosexual Acts". Records Uncovered. Blinken Open Society Archives, Háttér Archive. 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ a b Vērdiņš, Kārlis, ed. (2016). Queer Stories of Europe. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-4438-9790-7.
- ^ Jablonická-Zezulová, Jana. "Matyášove práce a úvahy v Hlase sexuální menšiny". Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ Vērdiņš, Kārlis, ed. (2016). Queer Stories of Europe. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 137. ISBN 978-1-4438-9790-7.
- ^ Vērdiņš, Kārlis, ed. (2016). Queer Stories of Europe. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 138. ISBN 978-1-4438-9790-7.
- ^ a b Vērdiņš, Kārlis, ed. (2016). Queer Stories of Europe. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-4438-9790-7.
External links
edit- First Slovak LGBTI activist has fought for 40 years, The Slovak Spectator
- Imrich Matyáš – early activist who documented an entire era, chapter in the online exhibition Loading: Love
- Online exhibition about Imrich Matyáš (in Slovak)