Anti-Gender Movements, Right-wing Populism and Democratic Erosion in the UK

To date, there has been little research on anti-gender movements and their links to right-wing populism and democratic erosion in the UK, despite flourishing literatures – both theoretical and empirical – on anti-gender movements in Europe, Latin America and the USA, and increased anti-gender activism in the UK. Using qualitative methods, this paper provides a preliminary analysis of UK anti-gender activism as a significantly under-estimated, but increasingly important phenomenon. It argues that, rather than focusing their efforts on radical right parties on the fringes of UK politics, much UK anti-gender activism is targeted on the Conservatives, the UK governing party. As such, the paper explores different forms of anti-gender activism in three interconnected areas: in associated organizations that pressure the Conservative party from the fringes (such as ‘Conservatives for Women’ and ‘The Conservative Woman’); in organizations within the Conservative Party; and more recently in influential right-wing thinktanks like Policy Exchange and the Legatum Institute. Building on Graff and Korolczuk’s (2022) notion of ‘opportunistic synergy’, the paper explores links between anti-gender activism and right-wing populism, analysing the alliances and overlaps between anti-gender activists, including significant evangelical Christian elements, with right-wing populists currently operating within the Conservative party. Together these have contributed to the Tories’ recent rightward shift and the implementation of measures contributing to democratic erosion in the UK. The paper also focuses on campaigns around sex education, gender identity and trans rights. These have been waged by organizations within and outside the party like the New Social Covenant Unit, and the Commonsense and New Conservative MPs groups, all with significant numbers of prominent Evangelical Christians members. Using an intersectional lens, the paper argues that these various organizations and campaigns within and on the fringes of the Conservative party, combining elements of anti-genderism and right-wing populism, are not simply a disparate ‘collection of ginger groups’ (Bale 2023), but a more cohesive movement. It combines nationalism, xenophobia and anti-genderism, albeit in ways specific to the UK context (combining anti-gender and anti-immigrant sentiments with calls to defend Empire and defeat woke), contributing to democratic erosion.