GATE is focused on increasing the capacity of trans, gender diverse and intersex communities to respond to anti-gender movements operating at the international, regional and national levels. Across the globe, trans, gender diverse and intersex (TDGI) people are being targeted by anti-gender movements operating at the social, political and institutional levels. These movements are trying to restrict or deny access to human rights, including autonomy and self-determination, depathologization, mental and bodily integrity, legal gender recognition and gender-affirming healthcare, informed consent, sanitation, and freedom from discrimination and torture.
Anti-gender movements generate tremendous challenges for LGBTIQ+ and gender equality campaigners. There is a lack of comprehensive insight into how the anti-gender movement is impacting the lives of trans and gender diverse people across the globe. They have demonstrated the capacity to mobilize broad public support against legal and policy reform on priority issues for LGBTIQ+ and feminist campaigners, including same-sex partnerships, Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), abortion rights, and trans rights. They have also demonstrated significant power to set political agendas and frame societal developments. GATE’s resources provide a starting point for mapping and countering anti-gender movements.
Our analysis shows that the anti-gender movements are growing in power and geographical reach and becoming more successful in pushing back against the hard-won gains by the LGBTIQ+ communities. This ongoing area of work encompasses building the capacity of TGDI movements to respond effectively to the opposition from the anti-gender movements. Drawing upon international human rights laws and policies to build a comprehensive strategy for protecting trans, gender diverse and intersex communities, our publications are designed to be used by our community members and allies to inform and build upon their work in countering anti-gender movements.
GATE often seeks input and participation from trans and gender diverse community members and provides support for engaging with UN bodies and processes. We are interested in highlighting the opposition that trans and gender diverse people face from anti-gender groups and engaging in strategic collaboration to advocate for specific recommendations regarding this issue. Our articles provide an attempt to bridge that gap with opinion pieces written by trans and gender diverse people, creating a space to foster critical dialogue, encouraging the sharing of knowledge/experience/best practices to support one another’s work, and providing an opportunity to raise awareness on some of the issues that might have been overlooked in existing discussions.
If you are interested in funding GATE’s work in this area or collaborating with us on a project, please contact us at info@gate.ngo.