From "Foreign Agents" to "LGBT Propagandists": Demonization of Civil Society Organizations in Georgia

Abstract

In March 2024, Georgia's governing Georgian Dream (GD) party announced the initiation of constitutional changes aimed at combating "LGBT propaganda" and protecting "family values and minors" despite previous assurances that it would not move forward with such laws. GD party officials emphasized that the bill is intended to shield society from "pseudoliberal ideology" and its "inevitable harmful consequences." Subsequently, the GD party reintroduced the controversial "foreign agent law" under the new title "On transparency of foreign influence." Topics related to LGBTI+ issues are closely intertwined with foreign agent law, and both bills are being used to demonize not only the LGBTI+ community but also civil society organizations (CSOs). In GD party discourses, Western-funded NGOs are portrayed as entities that - by supporting "LGBT propaganda" - are fighting against traditional and family values, which the Georgian nation perceives as sacred. This article aims to examine how and why the introduction of so-called "foreign agent" and "LGBT propaganda" laws is used by the GD party to demonize Georgian CSOs through an analysis of speeches and interviews with key government officials. Moreover, this article highlights parallels with Russian examples, as Russian "foreign agent" and "anti-LGBT propaganda" laws have served as models for the GD party.