Illiberalising Maps: Representations of LGBTQ+ Rights and Homonationalism

• In Event: 50 Years of LGBTQ Scholarship at APSA Mini-Conference: Framing and Accessing LGBTQ+ Rights in Democracies

Abstract

This paper delves into the nuanced implications of how international LGBTQI rights are represented, particularly focusing on the practice of employing maps and rankings by liberal organizations. These visual tools are commonly used to illustrate the progression of LGBTQI legislation across countries, operating under the assumption that they will motivate civil societies to demand advancement in rights and governments to ascend these rankings. However, this research posits that such representations can lead to unintended, and often counterproductive, consequences by essentializing associations between national identities, ethnic outgroups, and LGBTQI rights. The study hypothesizes that in nations where a synthesis of national identity with pro-LGBTQI rights has occurred, these representations might inspire homonationalist attitudes. Such attitudes could manifest as a nativist instrumental increase of support for LGBTQI rights, coupled with an increase in negative affect towards ethnic outgroups, especially nationals from countries portrayed as less liberal. This might also lead to heightened anti-immigration attitudes and the perception that the population of these less liberal countries is less inclusive of LGBTQI individuals. Conversely, in countries without such liberal-national identity alignments, the consequences might be more heterogeneous. While liberal citizens might be encouraged to support LGBTQI rights more fervently, nativist citizens could react adversely, viewing advancements in LGBTQI rights as an affront to their national identity. This paper argues that these reactions are not uniform but vary significantly based on the interplay between individual national identity and perceptions of LGBTQI rights. To investigate these dynamics, the paper employs online vignette experiments conducted on the representative samples of the Netherlands and Turkey. Participants are exposed to different visual representations of LGBTQI rights to assess how these influence their attitudes towards LGBTQI rights, national identity, and ethnic outgroups. The findings elucidate the complex role of rights representations on attitudes, shedding light on how they shape identity perceptions and attitudes towards liberalization. By exploring the dual potential of visual tools to inspire progress or exacerbate negative attitudes, this paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the role of identity markers in shaping societal attitudes and public policy. It underscores the need for careful consideration of the broader socio-political context in which such representations are deployed and their potential to influence public opinion in complex and sometimes unintended ways.

Author

• Alberto Lopez Ortega, VU Amsterdam