On Tuesday 17 September 2024, the Georgian parliament passed a legislative package aimed to threaten the democratic rights of LGBTQI people in the country. This proposal, led by the ruling Georgian Dream party, will effectively ban all forms of LGBTQI representation in the country. This legislative package has implications on many other laws in the country, which will all be amended to act against the rights of LGBTQI people.
When in place, this legislation initiative could be used by the government to prohibit the discussion of content in schools in connection with LGBTQI people, even banning measures that protect children and youth from school-bullying and harassment. It could also be used to ban any type of trans-specific healthcare and legal gender recognition, illegalise the work of LGBTQI organisations, and censor art and events related to LGBTQI communities. This could lead to the erasure of LGBTQI identities from the media, schools, public discourse, and daily life in Georgia.
This move mirrors the anti-propaganda laws in other countries that have fuelled hate speech and hate crime against LGBTQI people, especially trans children and youth, only for political gains. Although Georgia is a candidate for EU membership, many fear that its government is drawing the country closer to Russia's sphere of influence. The law is framed as a way to protect children and "family values," but in reality, it legitimises hate, attacks, and discrimination that are already widespread against LGBTQI children and youth in the country.
The Georgian President has yet to sign the bill, and while she has suggested she may veto it, the ruling party and its allies have enough seats in the parliament to override that veto. Georgian LGBTQI organisations warn that, if implemented, this law would shrink the space of civil society and human rights defenders in Georgia.
"The so-called bill 'On the Protection of Family Values and Minors' serves as an institutional tool aimed at further marginalizing the queer community. It represents yet another effort to suppress, censor, and criminalise fundamental human rights, whether through the restriction of artistic expression or access to healthcare", says Nina Gogadze (She/her), Project Manager at our local Member Equality Movement.
Only a day after the new ruling was passed, the queer — and particularly the trans — community in Georgia faced another devastating blow when the famous Georgian trans actress, model, influencer and most visible trans celebrity in the country, Kesaria Abramidze, was murdered by her intimate partner. On the evening of 19 September, activists and community members gathered outside the Parliament to express their grief and solidarity.
At IGLYO, we stand with our queer siblings and Members in Georgia and send them all our support. We are calling on the Georgian President to veto this law, and we urge the European Commission to keep a close eye on what’s happening in Georgia. It’s vital to stop this law from going into effect because it would erase LGBTQI visibility, force queer youth into hiding, and give hate, violence, and discrimination a legal cover. We can’t let that happen.
