Anti-LGBTQ+ hate and disinformation were core campaign strategies for political elections across the world in 2024, a new report has shown. Findings from the research, which was conducted by Outright International, were published on Wednesday, September 10. 

In 2024, more than 1.5 billion votes were cast across at least 89 countries, in what became known as the “super election year.” Outright International’s report looked at how LGBTQ+ people navigated, participated in and shaped electoral processes in 60 of these nations and the European Union, revealing the barriers faced and victories achieved by sexual and gender minorities.

Entitled Queering Democracy: The Global Elections in 2024 and How LGBTIQ People Fared, the research showed that in at least 51 of the examined territories, homophobic and/or transphobic rhetoric was used by politicians to incite fear, polarise voters, and undermine democratic norms.

Other key findings from the report include:

• Hate on the Ballot: Politicians in places like the UK, Slovakia, El Salvador and Indonesia demonised “gender ideology” and scapegoated queer communities.
• Systemic Barriers to Voting: A lack of legal gender recognition and the persistence of discriminatory laws disenfranchised countless transgender and gender-diverse voters.

Looking at Ireland’s 2024 general elections in particular, Outright noted that while voters elected eight openly LGBTQ+ TDs, the most in history, queer issues were also used negatively to garner support. There was a significant backslide on trans rights from the three biggest parties, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, with their manifestos leaving out many key priorities for the community. Furthermore, Aontú vowed to repeal the Gender Recognition Act 2015, while Ireland First, the National Party and the Irish People formed the National Alliance to “defend the right to free speech” in opposition to hate crime and hate speech laws.

“The findings are a chilling indictment of the state of global democracy,” said Neela Ghoshal, Senior Director of Law, Policy, and Research at Outright International. “Anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric is no longer a fringe issue; it is a central tool in the modern authoritarian playbook. When politicians attack their own citizens to win power, democracy itself is at risk.”

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However, there were also some positives to take from the research. Despite the attacks, queer candidates made history in countries like Botswana and Namibia, and LGBTQ+ activists were on the front lines of pro-democracy movements in nations like Bangladesh and Türkiye.

Throughout the document, there are in-depth case studies, data and actionable recommendations for governments, electoral bodies and civil society to protect and promote the political participation of all people. Read it in full here.

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