The Convergence of Anti-LGBTIQ* Polarization in Europe

For quite some time, Central and Eastern Europe has been perceived as the homophobic part of Europe. This is also substantiated by the “neighbour-question” of the European Values Study. This paper takes a different approach by concentrating on converging tendencies I will analyse anti-LGBTIQ* movements in CCE and Western Europe, their connections to the political elite and discursive approaches as well as the reaction by political representatives. I hypothesize that anti-LGBTIQ* representation is traditionally strong in CEE and growing even though LGBTIQ* representation is rather limited but steadily. In Western Europe, on the other hand, anti-LGBTIQ* activism and representatives are on the rise, quite often in connection with right-wing ideologies. Challenging the paradigms of traditional post-socialism area studies, I would like to discuss the findings in the context of post-colonial studies. In the wake of Eastern European anti-LGBTIQ* activism, Western tendencies are perceived to be less dramatic. The “Othering” of Eastern Europe conceals a converging process in Europe.