“Hungarian Catholic textbook changes “gay” in poem”
Poem in Hungarian Literature Textbook Altered without Author’s Consent
A controversy has arisen in Hungary after a poem in a literature textbook for 10th graders was altered without the author’s consent. The original passage from Ágnes Kiss Judit’s poem “The Word” reads, “Stay, for you must be protected. Who has nowhere to go, be poor, be homeless, Jewish, gay, Roma.” However, the word “gay” was replaced with “Hungarian” in the Catholic Pedagogical Institute’s textbook, according to Népszava.
The poet was reportedly not informed that her poem would appear in the textbook, which would require her consent and entitle her to royalties. She learned of the alteration through the news. The poet has stated that she would not have allowed the poem to be changed and plans to contact the publisher.
Historian and writer Krisztián Nyári has called the alteration an embarrassing editorial mistake. He argues that copyright laws protect the essence of a work and that intentional alterations would be a serious offence. The publisher has defended itself by arguing that no complaints were received and that contemporary poems are available in various versions on the internet.
