The false narratives and sexist hate speech spread to exclude, silence, insult, and discredit women from public space have a specific name, and it is called gender disinformation. This method is often used against the LGBTQ+ community. The use of various forms by one or another actor, be it fake news, photo manipulations, degrading phrases, sexual rumors, etc. has a goal, and this is to shape public opinion in such a way as to portray the role of women in a derogatory manner.
For the same reason, women are often told what the “correct” form of expression is, what the “correct” behavior is, what the “correct” dress code is, and so on. Deviations from these “norms” sometimes become a tool to smear women. This method is also used against women politicians. Georgia is no exception, which was especially evident during the pre-election period.
Gender disinformation is a challenge that we must be prepared to face, especially in the context of technological development, when we are faced with a huge flow of information every day. To do this, we need to have proper knowledge about both gender disinformation itself and its individual forms. We have prepared this quiz for this very purpose. Take it and test yourself — how vulnerable are you to gender disinformation and can you distinguish between truth and lies?
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In 2024, the organization Sapari investigated gender-based disinformation against female politicians. Respondents unanimously agreed that disinformation always has a purpose, including discrediting, silencing, psychologically influencing, and expelling female politicians from politics. You can learn more about this issue at this link.
The material was prepared in collaboration with the Women's Fund.