The ruling Georgian Dream party recently announced a controversial bill that threatens to limit the rights of LGTBQ+ individuals. They are presenting this legislation under the pretense of silencing what they perceive as “LGBT propaganda.” If passed, this bill would enforce wide-reaching changes to the constitution, including prohibitions on sex changes, adoption among same-sex couples, and organized events promoting same-sex relationships.
The party’s anti-LGBTQ+ tactics could potentially act as a strategy to rally conservative voters and detract attention from the country’s pressing economic struggles. Given Georgia’s traditionally Orthodox Christian demographic, the country has experienced conservative social norms for a long time.
This is not the first instance of legislative discrimination; in 2018, the government established a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Georgian Dream executive chair Mamuka Mdinaradze expresses views that are reflective of these historic social norms by advocating that only marriages between a “male and a single genetic female” should be recognized legally.
This proposal is met with significant opposition, especially from prominent LGBTQ+ rights organization, Tbilisi Pride. They denounced the bill on Facebook, labeling it as “homophobic”. This furor adds to a pattern of criticisms towards the Georgian government, with previous challenges focusing on the segregation and marginalization of LGBTI people.
More broadly, these recent events add increased complexity for EU officials responsible for appraising Georgia’s candidacy for EU membership. Granting candidate status could be seen as a political manoeuver, particularly with ongoing concerns around the Georgian government’s perceived association with Russia and their record on civil liberties and human rights. The EU’s 2023 Report expressly highlighted the persistent issues of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. More Information
Indeed, serious concerns have been raised about Georgia’s record on protecting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. For instance, in a 2021 case concerning an attack on LGBT protestors in Tbilisi, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against Georgia.