What We Have Found

• In parliamentary and media discourse, support for reproductive rights, feminism and LGBTIQ+ rights is framed as ‘gender ideology’. This is used in many ways, for example against abortion rights in Poland, lesbian parental rights in Italy, and trans rights in the UK. When framed as an ideology, we are no longer people; we are dangerous to societies and, indeed, democracy.  
• LGBTQIA+ people, feminists and others are contrived as a controversy with claims of abuse, corruption, damage and danger. For example, Pride seeks to corrupt, trans-ness is a licence for child abuse, any sexual health education is indoctrination. 
• The positioning of ‘democracy’ by those who oppose us is also essential to how ‘anti-gender’ works in Europe. ‘Anti-gender’ groups are networked and are active in civil society, lobbying and elsewhere. However, when this is done by LGBTIQ and feminists, it is depicted as an attack on democracy itself. It is ‘common sense’ to consider ‘gender ideology’ a threat and to consider the assault on trans rights, feminism, queer life a liberalism: they are protecting sovereignty, free speech, and of course, democracy. 

If you would like to read the Transnational Findings, you can find them here in Català (Catalan), English, Français (French), Deutsch (German), Ελληνικά (Greek), Magyar (Hungarian), Polski (Polish), Español (Spanish) and Türkçe (Turkish). These findings bring together the case studies to offer an overall insight.

The Press Releases for the Mapping Stage Findings can be read here in Català (Catalan), Deutsch-Deutschland (German-Germany), Deutsch-Schweiz (German-Switzerland), English, Français (French), Ελληνικά (Greek), Magyar (Hungarian), Polski (Polish), Español (Spanish) and Türkçe (Turkish).

You can read in detail about each of the Case Studies Findings: Hungary, Poland, Schweiz-Deutsch (Switzerland-German), Switzerland (English), UK, and European Parliament.

Finally, if you would like to read the Full Report, containing the Transnational Findings, the National and European Parliament Reports, and how this research was undertaken, you can read it here.

• ‘Anti-gender’ mobilisations lead to physical, verbal and online attacks and systemic discrimination against women, feminists, and/or LGBTIQ+ people. These are frequent and occur in all case study contexts: in both eastern and western Europe, in places like Ireland and Germany, which are supposedly ‘liberal’, as well as places like Belarus and Poland. 
• Attacks and discrimination have tangible, cumulative effects on those who are targeted, including a pervasive sense of fear and vulnerability, mental and emotional strain, self-censorship and withdrawal from public life, career and financial instability, and migration. 
• The effects are intersectional with specific attacks on racialised and working class people and communities, and a relentlessness for those who belong to more than one marginalised identity. These mobilisations are present in queer and LGBTQIA+ communities as well; ‘anti-gender’ attacks are not exclusively outside of these spaces.  

• Being visible, be it on a public platform or in everyday spaces, is an important defiance of ‘anti-gender’ movements. By surviving we are resisting the forces that want an end to gender and sexual equalities, trans lives, etc.
• Collectives are also mobilising through solidarity and community building, advocacy, legal action, research, education and knowledge sharing. Individuals form ‘bubbles’ with each other: safe spaces where they can exist, at least temporarily, away from ‘anti-gender’. 
• Ensuring safety and protection is a key strategy among communities facing threats; this can involve limiting event publicity, engaging with local police, and focusing on self-defence, as well as avoiding particular spaces where it is feared attacks would take place. Digital safety is also vital, consisting of blocking and muting certain accounts, using strict privacy settings, and careful storage of information.
• Dialogue–or, ‘having the chats’–with those who might be hearing disinformation or mis-information, enabling open conversations, allowing for mistakes, and developing understanding, serves as an effective form of resistance.
• Depending on the individual or group, avoidance of or engagement with social media both act as resistances. Online platforms can amplify LGBTQIA+ and feminist movements and information, and some LGBTQIA+ allies respond to online attacks to divert attention from the primary targets of these attacks. However, many seek protection and peace by refraining from using social media.
• Migration, or plans to migrate, as well as an effect of ‘anti-gender’ targeting, is an ‘anti-gender’ resistance, in that it enables escape from hostile environments, and can open up new possibilities, for example, in terms of expressing sexual and gender identities.
• Queer joy! Creating spaces for collective joy is an important aspect of this resistance, and can mitigate the weight of organisational work, attack and fear of attack.

The Stage 2 Full Report can be read here in English, containing the Transnational Findings,  individual Case Study Findings, Relief Maps, and details of how this research was undertaken.

To read a summary of our findings for each of the nine case studies, please take a look at the Case Study Summary Findings for Deutschland – Deutsch (Germany – German), Ελλάδα – Ελληνικά (Greece – Greek), España – Castellano (Spain – Spanish), Espanya – Català (Spain – Catalan), France – Français (France – French), Polska – Polski (Poland – Polish), Беларусь – Русский (Belarus – Russian), Schweiz – Deutsch (Switzerland – German), Suisse – Français (Switzerland – French), and Sürgün – Türkçe (In Exile in the EU – Turkish).

The Press Releases for the Listen Stage Findings can be read here for Ελλάδα – Ελληνικά (Greece – Greek) & Greece (English), España – Castellano (Spain – Spanish), Espanya – Català (Spain – Catalan), In Exile in the EU – English, France – Français (France – French), Im Exil – Deutsch (In Exile in the EU – German), Deutschland – Deutsch (Germany – German), Ireland – English, Poland – English, Polska – Polski (Poland – Polish), Schweiz – Deutsch (Switzerland – German), Suisse – Français (Switzerland – French), Spain (Catalonia & Basque Country) – English, Sürgün – Türkçe (In Exile in the EU – Turkish), Switzerland – English and Transnational – English.

You can read about each of the Case Study Findings in full here for Belarus – English, Deutschland – Deutsch (Germany – German), Ελλάδα – Ελληνικά (Greece – Greek), Greece – English, France – English, Germany – English, In Exile in Europe – English, Ireland – English, Poland – English, Spain (Catalonia & Basque Country) – English and Switzerland – English.