A 13-year-old boy in Slovakia has died by suicide after reportedly facing homophobic bullying, exposing the growing dangers LGBTQ+ youth face amid rising political hostility. Prime Minister Robert Fico has mocked transgender people in campaign videos, while the nationalist SNS party seeks to erase LGBTQ+ topics from schools. Mental health experts report a surge in self-harm and suicide risk among queer minors, who struggle with exclusion, bullying, and institutional neglect. Many now plan to leave Slovakia, fearing for their future. Meanwhile, government-backed events promote discredited claims that homosexuality is a phase or that same-sex families harm children. As political rhetoric grows harsher, psychiatrists warn that Slovakia’s LGBTQ+ children are increasingly left without safe spaces—or hope.
The suicide of a 13-year-old boy in early March has reignited concerns about the impact of homophobia on LGBTQ+ youth. According to those close to him, the boy faced homophobic bullying, mockery, and humiliation before taking his life. While such cases rarely reach the media due to their sensitivity, his story has sparked wider public debate. Boris Susko, Slovakia’s Minister of Justice and a member of the ruling left-wing party Smer–SD, acknowledged that bullying may have played a role in the tragedy, warning that hateful words can drive vulnerable individuals to desperation.
Fico’s Mockery and Rising Hostility
As LGBTQ+ children struggle with identity and acceptance, they are confronted with increasingly hostile rhetoric in public discourse. Robert Fico, the three-time prime minister of Slovakia and leader of the populist-nationalist party Smer–SD, has openly mocked transgender people, including in a campaign video where he ridiculed gender identity issues. The video, viewed over 300,000 times, reinforced his party’s stance against so-called “gender ideology” in schools and same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, the Slovak National Party (SNS), a nationalist and socially conservative party currently in a ruling coalition with Smer–SD, is pushing to erase LGBTQ+ topics from education, further marginalising queer youth.
Mental health professionals working with LGBTQ+ minors describe an increasingly aggressive societal atmosphere. Zuzana Sekelská, a child psychiatrist based in Košice, reports that many queer children she works with are now facing heightened verbal attacks, humiliation, and exclusion. Transgender children, in particular, experience distress over basic aspects of daily life, such as using school toilets, where they often feel unsafe. Some avoid drinking fluids during the day to escape the anxiety of using gendered restrooms.
Institutional Barriers and the Impact on Mental Health
While some LGBTQ+ youth find support among peers or teachers, others face rejection even in traditionally safe spaces. Patrícia Vesel Ganoczyová, a clinical psychologist working at the University Hospital of Louis Pasteur in Košice, has observed that previously supportive educators are withdrawing due to fear of backlash, either from school administrators or parents. Some LGBTQ+ students have been placed on individual study plans because they no longer feel safe in school. Others are excluded from physical education classes due to concerns about how parents might react if they used changing rooms aligned with their gender identity.
The consequences for mental health are stark. Experts report a significant rise in anxiety, depression, and self-harm among LGBTQ+ youth. Nearly a third of the queer children Ganoczyová treats have engaged in self-harm, with rates even higher among transgender minors. Many young people are now considering leaving Slovakia due to fears for their safety, psychiatrist Sekelská notes.
Calls for Change Amid Ongoing Hate Speech
LGBTQ+ advocates have warned that the rhetoric of political leaders is fuelling an environment where discrimination thrives. Lucia Plaváková, a Member of Parliament from the liberal opposition party Progressive Slovakia and an openly queer politician, called on politicians to stop spreading homophobic and transphobic statements, stating that “the price of this hate is human lives.” Meanwhile, Ingrid Kosová, another Progressive Slovakia MP and a longtime advocate for marginalised communities, pointed out that Slovakia’s schools lack the resources to support struggling LGBTQ+ youth, with only one psychologist available per 300 students.
Despite these warnings, discriminatory speech continues to shape public discourse. In a government-organised discussion for high school students, Jaroslav Daniška, a conservative journalist known for his affiliation with far-right and ultra-Catholic media, falsely claimed that children raised in same-sex or divorced families are regularly subjected to sexual abuse. In a separate incident, Renáta Ocilková, a former MP for the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and a conservative activist, promoted disproven claims at a Catholic university event, stating that homosexuality is a phase that disappears by age 26.
As LGBTQ+ children face growing hostility, mental health professionals stress that their survival and well-being depend on access to safe spaces and supportive communities. However, with rising intolerance in politics and public life, many young Slovaks are left questioning whether they have a future in their own country.
Source: Ria Gehrerová | Denník N
