A recent report from the University of California, Berkeley and the nonprofit organization Over Zero has found that authoritarian leaders are increasingly using gender-related issues as a strategy to undermine democratic institutions and norms. The report, authored by Míriam Juan-Torres González, Laura Livingston, and Tara Chandra, identifies six main tactics used by such leaders to entrench their power by leveraging debates over gender.

According to the research, nearly 40% of people globally live in countries where democracy is in decline. This trend is not only driven by political and economic factors but also by the manipulation of social issues, particularly those related to gender. Míriam Juan-Torres González, head of research at the Democracy & Belonging Forum at Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute, explained that “authoritarians need enemies — people or ideas they claim are a threat. … This engineered threat often takes the form of fighting so-called ‘gender ideology,’ a moniker that unites women’s and LGBTQ rights and freedoms into a single boogeyman.”

The term “gender ideology,” according to Juan-Torres, originated in Vatican circles in the early 1990s and has since evolved into a broad concept used by authoritarian populists to target various rights movements. She said, “It really is a pretext and excuse. They are opting to speak of ‘ideology’ and not actually name the reality: that they’re targeting real human beings with lives like yours and mine. But it is easier to disregard an ideology than disregard human lives and human rights.”

The report provides examples from the United States and Europe, such as the cancellation of drag shows in Washington, D.C., and the use of anti-Muslim rhetoric in the Netherlands to justify restrictive migration policies. Similar strategies have been observed in countries like India, Brazil, and Ghana.

One key method highlighted is the normalization of anti-democratic practices under the guise of combating gender ideology. Juan-Torres pointed out instances where censorship of books featuring LGBTQ characters was justified as part of this campaign, noting that such measures can extend beyond gender issues to broader restrictions on civil liberties.

The authors also describe how authoritarian movements construct perceived threats, reshape societal values around gender roles, influence culture through non-political communities, build broad coalitions using ambiguous definitions of “gender ideology,” and create division and distraction within societies. “Combating gender ideology is this pretext to adopt authoritarian measures, first in the domain of gender and sexuality, but then more broadly,” said Juan-Torres.

The report also draws attention to international coordination among anti-gender groups, noting that forums and events have facilitated the sharing of strategies across countries. Legislation seen in U.S. states like Florida and Texas mirrors laws previously enacted in Russia and adopted elsewhere.

Juan-Torres observed that these tactics have become more effective in recent years. She cited the shift in U.S. political discourse from 2019, when transgender rights were not a major focus for conservatives, to the 2024 election cycle, where anti-trans rhetoric became central in campaign messaging.

She explained that this change was not accidental but the result of strategic efforts to exploit issues that are complex or unfamiliar to much of the public. By framing debates around children’s rights or women’s protection, anti-gender actors have been able to build support for their agendas.

The researchers conclude that these strategies are being used globally to polarize societies and justify anti-democratic actions. As Juan-Torres stated, “It is easier to disregard an ideology than disregard human lives and human rights.”