Georgia’s Parliament Enacts Controversial LGBTQ Rights Law Amid Growing Tensions
In a move echoing Russia’s restrictive legislation, the speaker of Georgia’s parliament signed into law a bill that severely limits the rights of LGBTQ individuals, igniting backlash from both human rights advocates and the European Union.
This decision came just a day after pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili, in a standoff with the ruling Georgian Dream party, refused to endorse the bill.
The newly passed law, titled “On Family Values and the Protection of Minors,” parallels Moscow’s notorious “gay propaganda” law by prohibiting gender reassignment and nullifying same-sex marriages performed abroad or within Georgia.
Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili took to Facebook to defend the legislation, claiming it is rooted in “common sense, historical experience, and centuries-old Christian, Georgian, and European values,” while asserting that it protects the rights of all citizens.
However, this assertion is met with skepticism from rights groups and Western governments, who label the law as discriminatory and dangerous for LGBTQ individuals. The urgency of this issue is underscored by the recent stabbing of a prominent transgender woman, which occurred during the legislative push.
The law’s passage also follows Georgia’s adoption of an anti-NGO “foreign influence law,” which previously triggered weeks of mass protests and widespread condemnation from the West. Critics accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of drifting closer to Kremlin ideologies, raising alarms about the implications for Georgia’s aspirations for EU membership.
As tensions escalate ahead of the crucial October 26 parliamentary elections, the repercussions of this legislation may have far-reaching effects on the country’s social fabric and international relations.
