Facing an Illiberal Future. Polish "War on Gender" in a Transnational Perspective

The paper examines mobilization against "gender ideology" which has spread across Poland. It was officially inaugurated on 29 December 2013 by the Pastoral Letter of the Bishops' Conference read in churches. This letter is but one of many initiatives undertaken by the church and conservative groups to fight against sexual/equality education and legislation, as well as sexual and reproductive rights. We will show how this phenomenon fits into a broader context of battle against gender equality in Europe and the U.S., critically assessing the notion of “backlash” as an explanatory framework. The study builds on textual analysis of pastoral letters, articles and statements published on the webpages of specific movements and organizations such as No to Gender!, printed materials and media reports (also international), as well as existing research on conservative movements in Europe and the U.S.

Polish anti-gender campaigners claim that their aim is to defend local cultural values (which are equated with catholic values), to protect Polish children and parents against the corrupt West, European Union and "homosexual lobby." With its anti-Semitic undertones and use of neoconservative “family values” rhetoric the Polish mobilization appears at the intersection of global illiberal influences and local resurgence of nationalism. While our focus is on Poland, we argue that the anti-gender campaign must be viewed in a wider context, as key part of a broader resurgence of right wing extremism and religious fundamentalism, a coordinated transnational effort to undermine liberal values.