A study finds that anti-gender activity has expanded across 47 European countries, with growing political influence and links to democratic deterioration.
A new study by Forbidden Colours finds that the anti-gender movement has expanded across all 47 European countries analysed over the past 25 years. The movement includes religious institutions, political parties, think tanks, civil society groups and media outlets seeking to challenge or restrict women’s reproductive rights and LGTBIQ+ rights. According to the research, its success rate has risen from less than a third of its proposals two decades ago to more than 50% in the most recent period.
The study argues that the movement has evolved from street activism into a force with a presence in parliaments and government coalitions, and in some countries has reached national government. Spain is classified at level five out of seven, described as “moderate consolidation”, alongside countries such as Italy, Romania and the United Kingdom among those with particularly strong anti-gender activity. Nevertheless, two out of three legislative initiatives aimed at restricting feminist or LGTBIQ+ rights are still rejected or withdrawn.
The report also warns that once anti-gender activity becomes established, it does not appear to decline: none of the 47 countries studied recorded a decrease over the 25-year period. The researchers identify a strong correlation between the growth of the movement and democratic deterioration, including pressure on independent media, civic freedoms and institutional checks on power. They call for early action and greater international coordination among defenders of feminism and LGTBIQ+ rights, arguing that the movement operates as a connected European network.