Lesson 1.1: What is ‘Anti-Gender’ Politics? Origins, Uses & Controversies
We start with explaining the origins, definitions, and political uses of the term ‘anti-gender’ politics, including scholarly debates and critiques.
1. Introduction
Have you heard politicians speak out against so-called ‘gender ideology’? Or seen media headlines warning about threats to children and ‘traditional families’?
These are not isolated local debates. They form part of a coordinated political movement known as ‘anti-gender' politics – a transnational mobilisation targeting feminist, queer, and trans rights across Europe and beyond.
The term 'anti-gender' politics has become central to understanding the contemporary landscape of attacks on gender and sexual rights. But what exactly does it mean, and where does it come from?
| As you read and reflect, consider |
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● How do anti-gender narratives appear in your own national or media context? ● Who is framed as the threat, and whose rights are treated as expendable? ● What deeper social anxieties or political interests do these narratives tap into? ● |