In a significant move, Georgian lawmakers approved the final reading of a law focused on “family values and the protection of minors” on Tuesday, which critics argue will severely restrict LGBT rights in the country. The legislation grants authorities the power to ban Pride events and public displays of the rainbow flag, as well as to impose censorship on films and literature related to LGBT themes.
Leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party assert that the law is necessary to uphold traditional moral standards in Georgia, where the Orthodox Church wields considerable influence. However, activists contend that this measure is strategically designed to garner conservative support for the government ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26. This comes at a time when Georgia is striving for European Union membership, yet Western observers express concern over the nation’s increasing alignment with Russia.
Tamara Jakeli, director of Tbilisi Pride, expressed grave concerns about the implications of the bill, which also reiterates an existing ban on same-sex marriage and prohibits gender reassignment surgery. She indicated that the new law could force her organization to cease operations. “This law is the most terrible thing to happen to the LGBT community in Georgia,” Jakeli stated. “We will most likely have to shut down. There is no way for us to continue functioning.”
Although Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who has criticized Georgian Dream, has indicated her intention to veto the bill, the ruling party possesses sufficient parliamentary support to override her decision.
LGBT rights remain a contentious issue in Georgia, where public opinion largely opposes same-sex relationships and the constitution explicitly bans same-sex marriage. Participants in Tbilisi’s annual Pride marches have faced violence from anti-LGBT protesters in recent years.
The topic has gained prominence as October’s election approaches, with Georgian Dream campaigning vigorously against LGBT rights while seeking a fourth term in office. The party’s leading candidate for this election is billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who has strengthened ties with Russia amid deteriorating relations with Western nations.
Earlier this year, Georgian Dream enacted a “foreign agents” law criticized by European and U.S. officials as authoritarian and reminiscent of Russian policies. This legislation prompted some of the largest protests in Georgia since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Despite its past efforts to promote LGBT rights—such as passing a law against anti-LGBT discrimination in 2014—opinion polls indicate that Georgian Dream remains popular among voters, although it has lost some support since narrowly winning a parliamentary majority in 2020.
In a recent advertisement aired on Georgian television, an image of Jakeli appears alongside the phrase: “No to moral degradation.” She emphasized that any hope for progress on LGBT rights hinges on a change in government following the upcoming elections. “The only way we can survive in this country and have any progress on LGBT rights is for us to go in great numbers to the elections and vote for change,” she concluded.