Russia as a role model – Georgia now wants to become anti-queer

In Russia, the leadership around Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin promotes traditional values ​​such as orthodoxy, family and patriotism – and thus mobilizes political support for his authoritarian rule.

Especially since the start of the war against Ukraine, Moscow has further tightened its repressive laws against the LGBTQI+ community. In recent months, authorities have been hunting down homosexuals and other queer people in many places.

Now the ruling Georgian Dream party has introduced a package of laws in parliament under the heading ‘Family values ​​and the protection of minors’. Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papushvili announced this on Tuesday in Tbilisi.

No third gender, marriage only between man and woman
Among other things, civil, labor and educational laws in the South Caucasus country need to be changed. According to media reports, Papushvili said the constitution only provides for marriage between a man and a woman. That is why gay marriages should be legally banned.

Non-heterosexual people should not adopt children, the report said. Identification documents may only state the biological sex of male or female. Doctors are also not allowed to perform sex reassignment operations on transgender people.

LGBT information banned in schools
As in Russia, alleged ‘LGBT propaganda’ must be stopped in Georgia. There should be no gatherings discussing homosexual relationships or transgenderism, Papushvili said. This type of information is prohibited in schools. Such representations should also not be allowed in the media and advertising.

Little Georgia has a long Christian Orthodox tradition; Society in the former Soviet republic is quite conservative. There are queer movement events in Tbilisi, such as Christopher Street Day (CSD). But they are accompanied by massive counter-demonstrations, which have already turned violent.