In the years 2014-2021, under the pressure of the European Union and civil society activists, Georgia and Ukraine saw some progress concerning the human rights of LGBTI people. However, for Georgia and Ukraine, LGBTI rights turned into something bigger than domestic policymaking. As the EU became more actively promoting the rights of LGBTI people internationally, Russia emerged as a major regional actor dictating a new gender order based on the so-called “traditional family values.” As a result, in countries with such a complex geopolitical situation as Georgia and Ukraine, LGBTI rights became strongly associated with foreign policy choices.
This paper explores resistance against LGBTI rights in Georgia and Ukraine, focusing on the role of the National Orthodox Churches. It argues that from 2000 to 2022, the Christian Orthodox Churches have managed to gain visible influence over the policymaking in Georgia and Ukraine as they have turned into an important element of national consciousness. Though it may seem that the national governments sometimes choose to respond differently to the frames used by the Christian Orthodox Church in Georgia and Ukraine, in both cases, those have proven effective in preventing or slowing down the promotion of sexual and gender equalities.
