Being Queer Where the Law Bans You: Right-Wing Populism, the Christian Orthodox Church and the Obsession with Gender and Sexuality

In times of multiple crises, the rise of authoritarian regimes and the strengthening of the far-right, an "obsession" with gender and sexuality can be observed worldwide. This can be seen in a variety of contexts: from the restriction of abortion rights in the US and the tightening of anti-LGBTQI* laws in Hungary to the restrictive gender policies in Russia under Vladimir Putin and in Georgia as a result of the right-wing populist transformation of the ruling party "Georgian Dream".

Religious-nationalist narratives and the Orthodox Christian churches often play a crucial role in mobilising anti-gender sentiment in Eastern European societies such as Georgia, where Christian orthodoxy is highly influential. The emergence of secular-religious alliances between churches and political regimes leads to hostility towards non-normative sexualities and the stigmatisation of queers. In June 2024, for example, the Georgian ruling party introduced the so-called anti-LGBTQI* legislative package just before the upcoming parliamentary elections in autumn 2024. The role of the Christian family and the Georgian Orthodox Church in Georgian society is emphasised in political speeches and media appearances by party members.

The presentation focuses on the case of Georgia and the heteronormative political rhetorics, but situates the case in the context of the global rise of right-wing populist regimes. This raises questions about how secular-religious alliances and obsessions with gender and sexuality are interconnected, and to what extent these developments are linked to the marginalisation of the secular in times of multiple crises.