On March 7, the Media Development Foundation (MDF), a media regulator, released a report that uncovered 987 cases of discriminatory content related to gender and LGBTQI affiliation. The report found that most discriminatory content (64.6%) was homophobic.
The contributors used desk research and media monitoring, including Facebook’s Crowdtangle tool, to analyze 10 traditional media and 149 Facebook accounts (Pages, groups, and individuals). The study period covered the second half of 2022.
Most of the 193 cases of sexist hate speech/stereotypes identified in traditional media were directed against female politicians, particularly those from the opposition (22.9%), NGOs/activists (14.9%) and diplomats/Western politicians ( 14.5%). Insults were mainly directed at the US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili and the leader of the opposition party Droa Elene Khoshtaria.
Source: MDF
Source: MDFOf the 638 homophobic messages, the majority (453) were found in traditional media, twice as many as in comments on Facebook (185).
Source: MDF
Source: MDFPro-Kremlin media, Facebook pages, individuals and political parties such as Sezoni TV, Georgia and World, Alt-Info TV, Alliance of Patriots, Georgian Idea, Archpriest Spyridon Tskipurishvili and Levan Vasadze had the highest appearances of sexist hate speech and homophobia.
Mobilization to protect identity, values, the institution of family and children
Of the 398 comments analyzed, the protection of values (32.4%) and identity (31.7%) were almost equally represented. Pro-Kremlin actors used the false dilemma technique in a prominent case, presenting orthodox Russia as a counterbalance to the “perverted West” – a fighter against the “LGBT zation”.
When it came to family-related topics, reports on abortion dominated, with abortion in any form being considered sin and murder.
Liberals, LGBTQI people and the promotion of homosexuality were seen as the greatest threats to children. The discussion focused primarily on questions of equality in teaching, sex education in formal and non-formal settings and the anti-discrimination law, which was presented as a violation of children’s rights.
legislation
8 legislative initiatives were registered in Parliament, including 1 on abortion, 1 on blasphemy and 6 that could potentially violate the rights of marginalized groups based on gender and sexual identity.
Proposed amendments to Georgia’s Broadcasting Law, moving regulation of hate speech from media self-regulation to formal regulation, have been controversial and seen as restricting Christian freedom of expression and as a directive imposed by the European Union.
FIMI and gender disinformation
The report analyzed two types of intentional disinformation: Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and gender-based disinformation targeting women, LGBTQI people and politicians in a homophobic context.
FIMI was identified when pro-Kremlin actors circulated a distorted statement by US Congressman Jamie Raskin found in 212 Russian-speaking and 62 Georgian-speaking cases under Facebook’s fact-checking program.
During the monitoring period, gender disinformation was identified in three cases. Two of the cases were against Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska. The other case criticized Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze’s decision to honor Demna Gvasalia, citing his “sinful” sexual identity as a reason why he “should not be glorified.”
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