From anti-gender discourse to homonegative values: the case of Turkey

This study analyzes how anti-gender discourses reshape public attitudes towards homosexuality in Turkey by analysing World Values Survey data from 2011 (Wave 6) and 2018 (Wave 7). Moving beyond modernization theory’s view that economic development fosters tolerance and diversity, the analysis identifies a critical shift in the sources of homonegativity over time. In 2011, attitudes were largely shaped by education, regional development, and age, reflecting material and generational cleavages. By 2018, however, religiosity and trust in institutions associated with gender equality – such as the EU, UN, and women’s movements – became the strongest predictors, signalling the growing influence of anti-gender discourse on public values. This shift suggests that value change is increasingly driven by political and ideological dynamics rather than economic development. The study’s originality lies in linking value change to the politicization of gender and sexuality, demonstrating how authoritarian and religious narratives increasingly structure moral boundaries and public opinion in Turkey.