Russian Law 2 — Georgian Dream has launched a massive homophobic campaign
The ruling party of Georgia, Georgian Dream, has initiated a widespread homophobic campaign, citing the need to combat "pseudo-liberal ideology."
Shalva Papuashvili and Mamuka Mdinaradze, members of GD
For several weeks, Georgian Dream members have conducted daily briefings, some lasting up to an hour, dedicating a significant portion of their speeches to the homophobic campaign.
The objective of their campaign is to enact a law before the elections, banning "pseudo-liberal ideology" and halting "LGBT propaganda." The draft law is yet to be developed, but the state machinery is actively engaged in promoting homophobic views. Government-controlled media outlets such as "Imedi TV," "Postv," "Maestro," and "Rustavi 2" are actively participating in this propaganda.
The number of sponsored homophobic content on Facebook has risen.
Georgian Dream is attempting to emulate Russian law, but their plan is more insidious compared to the Law on Foreign Agents of 2023.
Quick reminder: There is no scientifically supported evidence that "propaganda" changes people's sexual orientation or gender identity.
On February 29, the executive secretary of Georgian Dream, Mamuka Mdinaradze, announced at a briefing that the party would prepare a legislative initiative to "protect society from pseudo-liberal ideology and its inevitable harmful consequences."
In his homophobic speech the next day, Mdinaradze referenced "harmful community propaganda" and emphasized their focus on the "harmful consequences of LGBT propaganda."
He cited films and series featuring LGBT people as a means of spreading "propaganda."
Explaining the so-called LGBT propaganda, Guram Macharashvili, a member of the parliamentary majority and author of the Russian law on agents, stated, "They say that it is a natural phenomenon for a person to be a representative of the LGBT community - this is direct propaganda”.
Mdinaradze again linked the manipulation of "Gallup" research to "propaganda" without any basis. The study doesn't support such a relationship.
Furthermore, government propaganda media distorted the content of an internal organizational memo from the US State Department, in which Anthony Blinken encourages employees to "use gender-neutral language whenever possible."
It's important to note that the document has no relevance to Georgia or the Georgian language, which lacks gender.
Russian Law 2
In 2013, Russia passed a law prohibiting the "propagation of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors. In 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Russian law was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, stating it violated the right to freedom of speech and protection from discrimination. The court found that "the government reinforces stigma and prejudice, promotes homophobia, which is incompatible with the notions of equality, pluralism, and tolerance in a democratic society."
Additionally, the Venice Commission passed a resolution in 2013, declaring the ban on so-called "propaganda of homosexuality" as "incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and international human rights standards" for various reasons, including the recognition of homosexuality as a variation of sexual orientation, not immoral by public authorities.
On October 27, 2022, the Russian State Duma unanimously approved a new bill on the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations and gender reassignment," prohibiting the dissemination of positive or even neutral information about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Public expression of a non-heteronormative orientation is punishable by a fine.
GD and "People Power" are closely watching — who will stand against the new homophobic initiative?
"Test number two!"—that's how they refer to the new initiative in the “People Power." Like the first test, they consider the so-called “law on foreign agents”.
The non-governmental sector has resolved not to heed the government's propaganda until the document is directly published.
The ruling party is discontent with the silence of its opponents.
Given the weakness, lack of coordination, and confused focus of opposition political parties in Georgia, it should not be challenging for the Georgian Dream to win the 2024 parliamentary elections.
However, citizens dislike the Georgian Dream too.
Therefore, it appears that the oligarch and informal ruler, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is cautious. Before the new year, he officially returned to politics for the third time, becoming the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream, with the right to nominate a candidate for the position of prime minister to be presented to the parliament.
Homophobia is an issue deeply ingrained in Georgian society, stemming from the 70-year rule of the Soviet Union and the promotion of non-acceptance towards diversity, along with taboos on sex and sexuality during the same period.
Georgian Dream, employing classic approaches of Russian propaganda, attempts to persuade the population that "the West is bad and has a negative influence on Georgians," and "the ruling party is the only one capable of protecting children from this."
Thus, they aim to maintain power for at least the next four years.
Simultaneously, this poses a challenge to Western donors and non-governmental organizations advocating for democracy, an independent judiciary, and the rule of law. They criticize the ruling party for election-related pressures, judicial interference, and corruption.
If in 2023 citizens were outraged because the Georgian Dream intended to label fellow citizens as agents, the protest due to the LGBT community is expected to be much weaker.
At least, that's what GD hopes.