LGBTQ rights in Georgia (country)

LGBTQ rights in Georgia
Georgia
StatusLegal since 2000
Gender identityNo
MilitaryNo
Discrimination protectionsNo
Family rights
Recognition of relationshipsNo
RestrictionsSame-sex marriage constitutionally banned
AdoptionNo

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Georgia face severe challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. However, before 2024 Georgia was one of the few post-Soviet states (others being the Baltic states, Moldova, and Ukraine) that directly prohibits discrimination against all LGBT people in legislation, labor-related or otherwise. Since 2012, Georgian law has considered crimes committed on the grounds of one's sexual orientation or gender identity an aggravating factor in prosecution.[1] The legislative ban on discrimination has been enacted as a part of the Government efforts to bring the country closer to the European Union and make the country's human rights record in line with the demands of Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Homosexuality is still considered a major deviation from the highly traditional Orthodox Christian values prevalent in the country, where public discussions of sexuality in general tend to be viewed in a highly negative light. Consequently, homosexuals are often targets of abuse and physical violence, often actively encouraged by religious leaders.[2][3][4]

LGBT events regularly face significant opposition and are often cancelled in the face of violence. LGBT rights activists were unable to hold their events due to violent opposition in 2012, 2013, 2021 and 2023. According to the 2021 International Social Survey Programme (ISSIP) study, 84% of the Georgian public thinks that sexual relations between two adults of the same sex are always wrong, which is the highest score in Europe.[5] Per World Values Survey study published in 2022, 91% of the Georgian public thinks that homosexuality is not justifiable.[6]

  1. ^ ILGA-Europe, President of Georgia signs anti-discrimination amendment Archived 8 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine 20 April 2012
  2. ^ "Global Rights report on Georgia (country)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2012.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference prejudice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Roth, Andrew (17 May 2013). "Crowd Led by Priests Attacks Gay Rights Marchers in Georgia". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "Datablog | Georgia may be the most homophobic country in Europe". OC Media. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Justifiability of homosexuality - World Values Survey". Equaldex. 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2023.