The Representation of “Gender Ideology”: The Beginning of a New Political Ideology?
Thus, gender becomes an interesting political field in which an increasingly bitter clash occurs between radical right-wing movements, often of populist origin, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Through the creation of a discursive repertoire and political actions opposing the rights of women and LGBTQ+ communities—accused of promoting "gender ideology" or "gender theory"—we are also seeing the emergence of new coalitions and intersections in Italy. These efforts aim to develop strategies focused on constructing an enemy, embodied in the constellation of movements, activists, researchers, and all those who advocate for legal gender equality. These various and complex mobilizations are internationally known as anti-gender campaigns.
Based on a series of studies conducted in Italy by the author in recent years, this paper offers a theoretical reflection on the ability of radical right political forces to frame the political demands of sexual minorities under the ambiguous label of "gender ideology." In the Italian case, this alleged ideology is described as a direct consequence of the individualism of Western societies, increasingly affected by secularism and relativism, as well as by misconceptions about feminism. Through campaigns that include street demonstrations, petitions, signature collections, lobbying activities, alliances with political parties, and opposition to gender education in schools, these movements not only demonstrate their ability to influence the political agenda but go even further. The imposition of traditional values of family, nature, and biology as insurmountable moral standards prevents genuine democratic debate. Thus, by constructing the notion of "gender ideology," the goal seems to be the creation of a "grand narrative," aimed at promoting a profoundly conservative vision, if not even imposing a new political ideology.