Georgia’s ruling party has introduced draft legislation that targets LGBT rights, with new bans on same-sex relationships in films, television, and advertising.
Outlawing Marriage and Adoptions
Georgia’s new ban will not only bad the depiction of same-sex couples in media but also aim to outlaw same-sex marriage registration and adoption by non-heterosexual couples.
The Speaker of Parliament
The speaker of the Georgian parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, detailed the scope of the proposed legislation targeting LGBT rights and enabling several restrictions.
A Measure Against “Propoganda”
Papuashvii said, “The measures against ‘LGBT propaganda’ would ban portrayals of same-sex relationships in films, television, and advertising, outlaw the registration of same-sex marriages and make it illegal for non-heterosexual couples to adopt children.”
Impact on Education and Demonstrations
The proposed laws would also prohibit teaching about same-sex relations in schools and universities in order to stop the spread of information relating to LGBTQ+ issues.
Illegal Meetings
Beyond the ban of same-sex relationships in media and lessons in school, the new law will even make public demonstrations and meetings on LGBT rights illegal.
International Criticism
The new laws have drawn strong criticisms from the United States and the European Union, which view these measures as steps towards authoritarianism.
Joining the EU
The United States and EU have also warned that taking such actions will threaten Georgia’s desire to join the EU and NATO in the future.
EU and US Actions
The European Union has already announced its plans to halt talks with Georgia about joining the Union, and the US has announced sanctions on Georgian politicians.
Micheal Roth’s Take
Chairman of the foreign relations committee of the German Parliament, Michael Roth, highlighted the serious international concern over Georgia’s legislative direction in a statement.
Another Red Flag
Roth said, “A Russian-style crackdown on LGBTI is another red flag for Georgia’s EU ambitions.”
Rationale Behind Legislation
For context, the Georgian Dream party’s proposed “Protection of Family Values and Minors” package follows the recent signing of a controversial “foreign agent” law.
The Foreign Agent Law
The passing of Georgia’s “foreign agent” law was met with weeks of protest and criticism. It claimed it was heading toward authoritarianism by passing something similar to Russian censorship laws.
Consolidating Conservative Support
By passing the foreign agent law and implicitly supporting the “Protection of Family Values and Minors,” some fear this may be an attempt to consolidate conservative support ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.
Distracting Voters
Opposition lawmaker Khatia Dekanoidze, criticized the legislation as a move towards authoritarianism aimed at rallying conservative voters and distracting from economic issues.
LGBT Propaganda
Dekanoidze said, “I’m sure by introducing this they want to appeal to their voters ahead of the elections and once again stick the LGBT propaganda label to the West.”
Economic Consequences
Even before the new LGBT legislation, introducing the “foreign agent” law led to significant drops in the stock prices of Georgia’s two largest banks.
Fearing for Political Stability
The Bank of Georgia Group PLC and TBC Bank Group Plc saw declines of 31% and 27%, due to investor concerns over the country’s political stability.
Conservative Society
Predominantly Orthodox Christian, Georgians typically maintain a conservative stance on same-sex relationships, with a large majority of the population disapproving of same-sex relationships.
Leveraging Homophobia
The fear is that the ruling party may be leveraging this homophobia to gain political favor before the upcoming elections next year, but only time will tell what societal and economic ramifications these decisions may bring.
The post Georgia’s Aggressive Anti-LGBT Legislation Goes Further Than You Think first appeared on Pulse of Pride.
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