President of Czech Republic Calls Trans People 'Inherently Disgusting'

Miloš Zeman, the president of the Czech Republic, defended a new anti-LGTBQ law in Hungary and declared trans people to be "inherently disgusting," CNN reported.

Per the reports, Zeman made the remarks on a June 27 appearance on "CNN affiliate CNN Prima News."

The new Hungarian law hearkens back to Russia's notorious 2013 "gay propaganda" law, which outlawed any mention or expression of support for LGBTQ people where children might see or hear. The Hungarian law similarly purports to "protect" children, CNN detailed, by banning "all educational materials and programs for children that are considered to promote homosexuality, gender reassignment and the concept of sexuality deviating from the one assigned to a person at birth."

"Zeman said interference in internal affairs of any EU member country is a gross political mistake, and he defended Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban," CNN's report added.

"I do not see a reason not to agree with" Orban, Zeman told the news outlet. He also expressed he is "completely annoyed by the suffragettes, the Me Too movement and Prague Pride," Reuters reported.

Zeman went on to say: "I can understand gays, lesbians and so on. But do you know who I do not understand at all? These transgender people."

According to Reuters, Zeman went on to elaborate on his comment, saying, "If you undergo a sex-change operation you are basically committing a crime of self-harm. Every surgery is a risk and these transgender people to me are disgusting."

The new Hungarian law has caused a firestorm of criticism in the European Union and beyond, with critics saying that it falsely links LGBTQ people to pedophiles.

"At an EU summit last week, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Hungarian premier Viktor Orban to respect LGBT rights or leave the bloc," Reuters noted in its report. "More than half of the EU's 27 member states have opposed the law but so far the Czechs have not done so."

Some also suggest the law is designed to bolster support for Orban and the ruling party ahead of an upcoming election.

Reuters noted that "Hungary faces a legal challenge at the EU's highest court" over the law, adding that "Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said Orban should also be subject to an as-yet untested procedure to cut EU funding for those who violate rules."

LGBTQ Americans also face mounting legislative challenges, many of which making trans people the target. GOP state lawmakers around the country have introduced a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills directed at transgender children.

"So far this year, eight states have enacted anti-trans sports bans, while one state, Arkansas, has approved a law prohibiting physicians in the state from providing gender-affirming treatment for trans youth," CNN noted in a recent story.