Ideology on Trial. Attitudes toward Sexual Politics among Latin American Legislators

This paper examines Latin American legislators' attitudes toward sexuality politics. Utilizing comprehensive PELA-USAL survey data collected from 17 countries, the analysis focuses on three critical dimensions: gender equality, reproductive rights, and LGBT+ issues. The findings reveal that left-right ideological divisions remain the primary drivers of support for gender equality and reproductive rights policies, with state-market preferences playing a secondary but noteworthy role. Religion proves to be a significant factor, as Evangelicals consistently oppose such measures, while Catholic legislators exhibit a broader and more varied ideological range. Female legislators emerge as key and prominent advocates for these causes, and younger cohorts show stronger support for LGBT+ rights, clearly reflecting generational shifts in perspectives. By analyzing the interplay of cultural, economic, and ideological influences, this study sheds valuable light on the hybrid nature of sexuality politics, which transcends traditional ideological boundaries and redefines political discourse in Latin America.