Georgian Parliament Pass Anti-LGBTQ+ Law

September 18, 2024

Police block Georgian opponents of gay rights as they try to interfere with a pride party in Tsibli, Georgia [Image credit: AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze]

Cited article by AP News

HRRC condemns the harsh anti-LGBTQ+ legislation recently passed by the Georgian government. The government must protect and ensure equal human rights for all its citizens.

News Brief

Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, proposed an anti-LGBTQ+ bill earlier this year. The law, adopted on September 17, 2024, bans same-sex marriages, adoptions by same-sex couples, public endorsement of LGBTQ+ people, gender-affirming care, and changing gender designations in official documents. In addition, the government has criminalized LGBTQ+ activism, clamping down on protests in the country.

The Orthodox Church holds immense sway with the Georgian government and had demanded an end to gay rights, seeking to restore "traditional family values." Last year, the Church pushed for open protests against the LGBTQ+ community, effectively shutting down an LGBTQ+ festival. This past May, tens of thousands took to the streets in opposition to the gay community, further calling for "family purity" and commitment to "protecting the country’s identity, language, and faith.”