A newspaper has sparked outrage by inviting readers to submit photos of women wearing skirts – adding that ‘the shorter, the better’.
Hungary’s government-funded newspaper Metropol published a two-page spread on Wednesday, featuring what appear to be covertly taken photos of women in skirts on the metro.
The campaign has been branded disturbingly invasive, and one that would invite further street harassment of women and girls.
It has triggered a wave of backlash online, particularly from TikTok users in Hungary who are calling out Metropol’s stunt as ‘sexist’.
Sophie Klein, a crochet artist from Budapest, was one of the women who posed – defiantly – in a short skirt holding a copy of the free newspaper.
She captioned the video: ‘Me every day since the biggest, tax-funded, pro-government newspaper in Hungary asked their readers to send in candid pictures of girls in short skirts they see in public under the motto of “the shorter, the better”.
‘I almost forgot to mention that this newspaper is of course conservative and supports family values.’
The 30-year-old told Metro about how Metropol’s campaign is only ‘fueling’ sexual harassment of women and girls
Sophie said: ‘This is what is shocking to me – one of the biggest, state-funded newspapers in the country is giving people, in a way, permission to take pictures of strangers in general, but also sexualise underage girls and women just because they are wearing short skirts.
‘I am already hearing of parents telling their daughters not to go out wearing short skirts, so that no one takes a picture of them.
‘Today is already over 30°C outside – the heat is unbearable.’
Sophie, who used to live in Berlin and returned to Budapest two years ago, said sexual harassment on the street in Hungary is ‘much more socially acceptable’.
‘People do not seem afraid to harass you on the street. It took me time to get used to this,’ she added.
‘Before the article, I was already not comfortable wearing skirts in public. But at the same time, I do not want to be controlled either by my personal insecurities or by Metropol.’
She said about the photos already published as part of the original story: ‘Those girls did not give their consent to have their pictures printed in a newspaper. Yes, you don’t see their faces, but it’s anyway very disturbing.’
Amid the backlash, Metropol has done a decent job in scrubbing any trace of the story from its website and social media accounts, but screenshots have been circulating online for a few days now.
Sophie also explained how the stunt is an example of a broader culture of institutional misogyny in Hungary, where women’s rights are undermined as a routine.
Under the premiership of Viktor Orbán, Hungary has turned back the clock on women’s rights – gutting any gender protections, sidelining women from the political field, and cementing a conservative vision of family that leaves little room for individual freedoms – like abortion.
The politician has positioned himself as a defender of traditional values on the world stage, resonating with like-minded politicians across Europe and the US like Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
The 2024 Gender Equality Index ranked Hungary 26th out of 27 EU member states based on its overall performance.
The country was also placed last in the domain of gender equality in positions of political and economic power.
An EU survey published in November found that 55% of Hungarian women had faced gender-based violence at some point and that 8% were currently living in an abusive relationship.
Metro has contacted Metropol for a statement.
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