Pre-election Instrumentalization of Anti-LGBT Sentiments and Family Values
Date: 5 October 2024
The Georgian Elections Observatory (GEO) is a short-term initiative focused on fact-checking pre-election narratives leading up to the crucial parliamentary elections on October 26. What sets this project apart from traditional fact-checking platforms is that it doesn't just address specific claims but examines entire narratives, offering political analysis alongside fact-checking and media analysis. This project is powered by the Fojo Swedish Media Institute in partnership with Investigative Media Lab (IML) and the UG Security, Politicy, & Nationalism Research Center (UGSPN).
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in these stories do not necessarily reflect those of the listed organizations.
MEDIA ANALYSIS
Does LGBT propaganda exist?
The founder and main figure of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, stated on August 21 that Georgian Dream needs a constitutional majority to prohibit, at the constitutional level, “the so-called same-sex civil partnership, the adoption of a child by an LGBT couple, the conduct of gender change operations, and the production of LGBT propaganda in the media or in schools.” This narrative was echoed in a statement from the party council published just a day earlier:
After the adoption of the constitutional law, no one will ever be able to impose on us the so-called same-sex marriage, the legalization of civil partnerships, the adoption of a child by a same-sex couple, gender reassignment surgery, the legal recognition of genders other than man and woman, the propaganda of pseudo-liberal ideology in educational institutions and mass media, and other vices that have already led many countries to very serious consequences.
On September 9, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze identified the protection of minors as the main goal of the anti-LGBT propaganda law, stating that “there is no question of restricting human rights; the only thing that is restricted is the use of crude propaganda that has very strange goals.”
Propaganda is the dissemination of information, facts, arguments, half-truths, or lies aimed at influencing public opinion. Representatives of the ruling party do not clarify what exactly is meant by “LGBT propaganda,” although it is not difficult to conclude that they refer to advocacy for the rights of the LGBT community, the protection of their freedom of expression (one manifestation of which is the Pride festival), and the promotion of their acceptance by openly discussing their identities and orientations. The fundamental rights of the LGBT community, including freedom of expression, are therefore labeled as propaganda by the ruling party. However, when discussing this type of propaganda, they do not specify the precise forms it takes, as specifically naming such actions would contradict the anti-discrimination law adopted by Georgian Dream itself. Moreover, there is no evidence that representatives of the queer community, activists, or organizations defending the LGBT community have encouraged anyone, especially minors, to change their gender or sexual orientation.
The term “LGBT propaganda” itself originates from Russia, and the official definition of such a term in Western sources is less relevant. A law banning LGBT propaganda was passed in Russia in 2013, serving to censor and marginalize vulnerable groups, manipulate family sentiments, and strengthen an authoritarian regime.
Is it possible to change an individual’s orientation or identity through propaganda?
On August 21, Bidzina Ivanishvili stated that “anti-Christian forces are trying to erase the identity of nations, states, and people. Their goal is to turn a person into a being devoid of dignity and morality, who will not have any national, religious, or personal identity; one should not even know for sure whether one is a man or a woman.” Speaker of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili made a similar statement on August 25: “Are we raising our sons to be men and our daughters to be women, or are we confusing them to the point that they don’t even know their own gender?” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze added on September 18: “Now we have adopted the second law, which regulates the simplest thing: that a man should be a man and a woman should be a woman. A man should be called a man, and a woman should be called a woman, and this is also declared a Russian law.”
Representatives of the ruling party claim that they will protect minors from LGBT propaganda that encourages them to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. This claim is based on disinformation that suggests a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity can change due to ideology or external pressure. Scientific studies and statements by medical organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychological Association (APA), assert that sexual orientation and gender identity are formed by a complex combination of biological, genetic, and environmental factors, and they do not change based on exposure to any type of information.
So-called conversion therapy, which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation, has been evaluated by the American Psychological Association as ineffective and harmful, as this therapy can cause psychological issues and cannot change one’s sexuality. As for the increase in the representation of the LGBT community, this trend promotes the acceptance of the queer community and their integration into society, rather than a deliberate transformation of traditional orientations.
Can LGBT propaganda cause the “extinction of the nation”?
Mamuka Mdinaradze, chairman of the Georgian Dream parliamentary faction, stated on September 3 that “for centuries, all conquerors in this country tried to destroy the nation, and yet we are here, we speak Georgian, and this country and the Georgian people exist. LGBT propaganda can erase this in exactly two to three generations.”
Mdinaradze refers to the reduction of the birth rate when talking about the “extinction of the nation,” which he links to LGBT propaganda. He claims that LGBT propaganda will change the sexual orientation of young people, preventing them from reproducing. This claim, however, is based on misconceptions and emotional manipulation.
The decline in birth rates in developed countries is not caused by LGBT propaganda or the growth of the queer community, but rather by economic factors, access to contraception, and the emancipation of women over the last century. As raising children is associated with economic challenges, and as education and employment have become more accessible to women, birth rates have naturally declined. Furthermore, it is impossible to change a person’s sexual orientation through any form of propaganda, which means it cannot influence birth rates in the way Mdinaradze suggests.
Does propaganda lead to an increase in the size of the LGBT community?
On September 4, Irakli Kobakhidze stated: “Statistics show something else. In fact, after the spread of [LGBT] propaganda, the number of LGBT people in the respective countries exceeded 20%.”
As mentioned above, it is impossible to change sexual orientation or gender identity through external influence or ideology. Accordingly, no form of propaganda can directly influence the growth of the queer community. The increase in the number of people openly identifying as LGBT is due to the strengthening of acceptance, the advocacy for their rights, and the empowerment of the community. Since stigmatization and marginalization of the queer community are less frequent in Western countries, and social pressure is reduced, people of different orientations feel more comfortable coming out.
Is the West imposing the LGBT agenda on us?
On September 18, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated:
In the perception of Georgian society, the European Union and the United States of America cannot be associated in any way with LGBT propaganda or with such an ideological current, the purpose of which is not positive for society... When we hear criticism without any argument, of course, this becomes a subject of concern. Why should a high-ranking representative of the European Union or the United States of America criticize a draft law that is solely dedicated to the protection of family values and the interests of minors?
Representatives of the ruling party avoid directly accusing Western institutions of promoting LGBT propaganda. However, on September 26, Guram Macharashvili, leader of the People’s Power movement, openly claimed that “just as LGBT propaganda was legalized in Ukraine, Germany, and unfortunately in Greece, they want to legalize this law in Georgia.”
The protection of human rights and freedom of expression are fundamental values of democracy. The emancipation of the LGBT community and their protection from discrimination are important issues for modern Western democracies. In recent years, the ruling party’s indifference to discriminatory crimes against the queer community, restrictions on their freedom of expression, and the recently passed homophobic law have been frequently criticized by Western leaders. Western institutions often call on Georgian Dream to protect the basic rights of the LGBT community and prevent their stigmatization.
However, there is no evidence that Western leaders have forced the Georgian authorities or society to change their sexual orientation or gender identity, make gender reassignment surgery mandatory for minors, or legalize same-sex marriage. Furthermore, there are EU member states where same-sex marriage is still not legal. Despite this, the ruling party has perceived calls to protect human rights—particularly those of the queer community—as part of an LGBT propaganda agenda, which is tied to a disinformation campaign directed against the West.
POLITICAL ANALYSIS
The anti-LGBT law passed in the pre-election period of 2024 in Georgia should be considered from two perspectives: that of the broader anti-Western information campaign, on the one hand, and that of the instrumentalization of identity politics and “politics of fear,” on the other. This legislation aligns with a broader global trend in which illiberal regimes use culturally divisive issues to consolidate power by stoking societal fears. Such forces resort to the approach of instilling and intensifying fear in society by invoking cultural and identity issues as a tool to consolidate their power. As seen in countries like Hungary, Russia, and Poland, such laws are frequently introduced as part of a pre-election strategy for several purposes: diverting attention from acute socio-economic issues; attracting an ultra-conservative electorate; presenting one’s party as a defender of national values and traditions; aggravating the feeling of fear and the perception of being in a critical social situation; and increasing polarization in society through dividing it into “us” and “others.” Moreover, because of its timing, this issue should be perceived as a pre-election campaign that aims to influence the electorate’s feelings and emotions by instrumentalizing them.
In Georgia, these narratives echo the deep-rooted cultural anxieties regarding national identity, on the one hand, and deliberately paint an image of an external or internal enemy, on the other. Along with their active involvement in international political processes, the anti-Western narratives spread in Georgia have been intertwined with identity issues. These deep-seated narratives and consequent propaganda, combined with scant information about Western organizational structures, create fertile ground for the instrumentalization of this law and any accompanying political discourses in the pre-election period. The Georgian Orthodox Church, which has considerable influence in Georgian society, also plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion on these matters, often aligning itself with anti-LGBTQ stances and anti-Western narratives.
Anti-Western sentiments are part of Georgian political discourse, especially as the country has sought closer ties with European and Euro-Atlantic structures. In this discourse, Western values are presented as a threat to Georgian traditions, religious beliefs, and national identity. This fear is largely related to cultural homogenization and the supposed devaluation of national values. The anti-LGBTQ law fits neatly into this narrative, as it allows the government to portray itself as the guardian of Georgian identity against Western liberalism, which is often painted as a corrupting force promoting “untraditional” lifestyles.
A good example of the instrumentalization of such policies is in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government passed a law in 2021 banning the portrayal of LGBTQ topics in schools and media aimed at minors. The adoption of this law was also preceded by narratively contrasting Hungarian and Western values, all the while presenting Hungary as the guardian of Christian values in contrast to the morally corrupting influence of Western liberalism. Thus, the Hungarian government succeeded in stoking existing cultural fears and channeling them into electoral support, while also curbing civil liberties for certain groups in society. The Georgian case can be viewed through the same prism: the ruling party’s fear-mongering campaigns serve to divert attention from matters of corruption, social issues, and democratic backsliding. Instead—in the name of protecting family values—the ruling parties try to maintain power via exploiting fears related to identity. Before Hungary, Russia had long used similar narratives to justify its anti-LGBTQ laws, declaring its defense of “Russian traditional values” (against Western cultural influence) at the constitutional level.
As such, the adoption of the anti-LGBT law is part of the strategy that political theorist Ruth Wodak calls the “politics of fear.” Utilizing this strategy, governments leaning towards authoritarianism use fear to manipulate public opinion, construct an image of internal and external enemies, or create/inflate crises in order to consolidate power. In the Georgian context, the LGBTQ community has frequently been presented as the convenient “other” whose rights and liberties are restricted, all while the ruling party positions itself as the defender of the nation’s moral composition.
In conclusion, this law must be seen as part of a broader authoritarian playbook that uses identity politics and the “politics of fear” to consolidate power. The law’s timing, mere months before the parliamentary elections, underscores its political purpose: to galvanize conservative voters, distract from governance issues, and create a narrative of cultural protectionism against Western liberalism. Drawing on examples from Hungary, Russia, and Poland, it is clear that this strategy is not unique to Georgia but rather part of a wider trend in which illiberal governments exploit societal fears to maintain control. In the face of these developments, the real danger lies not only in the erosion of minority rights, but also in the gradual undermining of democratic institutions and civil liberties.