[Seminar] Navigating Hostility: How LGBTQ+ interest groups strategize in hostile contexts in the EU

EUGENDERING / EUNMUTE SEMINAR

Presenter: Bastiaan Redert (University of Antwerp) – Navigating Hostility: How LGBTQ+ interest groups strategize in hostile contexts in the EU

Discussion: Cecilia Rizcallah (UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles) & Samuel Defacqz (UCLouvain – tbc)

Abstract

Equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals are increasingly contested across Europe, threatening the well-being of millions. In this context, LGBTQ+ organizations play a vital role, not only in advocating for equality policies but also in providing essential community services such as healthcare, safe spaces, and suicide prevention. Despite their importance, research on these organizations remains limited, especially regarding how their strategies and structures adapt to diverse national contexts. In a recently funded project, Bastiaan Redert bridges this gap by examining how national political environments influence the organization and strategies of LGBTQ+ interest groups in Europe. Using a combination of survey data and unique datasets, it explores how these groups navigate political and community-oriented roles. During this seminar, the project will be introduced, and some key findings will be presented and discussed. First, findings of preliminary studies show that in repressive contexts organizations focus shifts from political advocacy to community support. Second, in another study Bastiaan finds that when elite opinion is supportive towards LGBTQ+ equality, organizations favor insider strategies. Yet, in hostile settings, they often face barriers to political engagement and do not become more active in their communities. These findings suggest that hostile political contexts further silences already marginalized voices.

Link to registration