This panel explores how liberatory ideals of feminism and liberal philosophy are co-opted to exclusionary ends by various actors in Europe’s diverse societies. Europe is struggling with immigrant-related diversity. This panel focuses on three sites of this struggle. First, we turn to the political participation of racialized immigrants in the Netherlands. Interviews with Dutch parliamentarians of immigrant background show how the backlash against feminist and multicultural ideals has limited group-based politics. Second, we venture to France where immigrants are the ghosts that inform the politics of Marine le Pen and the Front National. French Right-wing politics coopt feminism to portray immigrants as a danger to the nation. Third, we turn to Germany and Canada to explore how the fear of heterosexual, straight Muslim men informs refugee politics. And finally, we dig into the concept of cooptation itself to show it is a useful analytic tool to understand the nuances and complexities of political moments that appear to pit ideals of gender, LGBTQ and racial equality against each other.