Threat Narratives in Anti-gender Movements' Online Presence

This paper examines anti-gender movements’ online narratives through a comparative analysis of CitizenGo and Europe for Family on X (formerly Twitter) between 2019 and 2023. Using discourse and content analysis of 2,349 tweets, the study identifies how these actors frame gender equality as threatening to traditional values and family structures. CitizenGo primarily operates at the grassroots level, portraying LGBTQI+ communities and established political institutions as threats to children and freedom, while frequently calling followers to action through petitions. Europe for Family functions at the institutional level, focusing on surrogacy as exploitative to women and engaging directly with European Parliament political figures. Both organisations strategically undermine opponents’ credibility and employ emotional appeals, though with different mobilisation strategies. The analysis reveals connections between their discourse patterns and international events like the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 and Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act in 2023. This research contributes to understanding how anti-gender actors operate across different political levels to challenge advancements in gender equality, LGBTQI+ rights, and reproductive freedoms.