Religion, Nation, State, and Anti-Gender Politics in Georgia and Ukraine

ABSTRACT Under pressure from the European Union and civil society activists, countries in the European Neighborhood made some advancements concerning the human rights of LGBTI people. However, local resistance emerged as the EU advocated for LGBTI rights internationally. This article explores the role of the Christian Orthodox Church in such resistance in Georgia and Ukraine. It argues that as the LGBTI movement was gaining more visibility, the national Christian Orthodox churches turned into major actors opposing LGBTI rights and so-called “gender ideology” and, in both cases, have proven effective in preventing or slowing down the promotion of sexual and gender equalities.