On top of the historical connections of this movement to hate, there is a strong present connection between anti-2SLGBTQ+ hate and other hateful ideologies. This is not particularly unique as most hate movements are often syncretic; combining ideas and concepts together from other ideologies. However, it is important to understand how these various ideas intersect in order to directly address some of the more specific approaches that anti-2SLGBTQ+ organizers use to spread their hate. There is also the risk of extremists using anti-2SLGBTQ+ events to recruit people into their more violent groups.
Christian nationalism is an ideology that seeks to impose “Christian” values and morals upon a population. These values and morals are often from a very specific faction of Christianity like conservative evangelicals and conservative Catholics. In Canada specifically, these people emphasize the Christian foundations of the country and believe Christian beliefs are superior to any other worldview. This often results in animosity towards worldviews contrary to their beliefs. Islamaphobia and racist anti-immigration sentiments are quite common in these circles. The emphasis on Canada’s founding means there is often anti-Indigenous racism inherent to this ideology. The existence of Canada is based on specific theological ideas that justified the genocide of Indigenous people and land theft. This is the root of Christian nationalism in Canada.
Christian Nationalists adhere to a strictly binary view of gender and advocate for marriage to only be between a man and a woman. The overlap between anti-2SLGBTQ+ organizers and Christian Nationalists is extremely common because of this core belief. There is a long history of Christian Nationalists opposing the expansion of abortion rights, sex education, gay marriage, and 2SLGBTQ+ rights. Groups that adhere to this ideology often advocate for homeschooling or private schools to prevent their children from being exposed to ideas they disagree with in the public school system. The public education system is seen as a threat to their beliefs and way of life.
In trying to achieve their aims, Christian nationalists will sometimes try to include conservative segments of other religious groups in order to gain popularity. While they may try to use these efforts to excuse their beliefs, it’s important to note that Christian supremacist views are still present. Christian nationalists also used the COVID-19 pandemic as a recruiting opportunity as they fought against restrictions and promoted COVID conspiracies. With the removal of pandemic restrictions, a lot of their energy has pivoted to attacks on the education system and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. Christian nationalism also overlaps significantly with white supremacy as the specific faction of Christianity it seeks to enforce originates from white-western theological traditions.
The core tenant of white supremacy is the superiority of whiteness but it also includes other aspects of culture. Patriarchy and “western values” are part of what informs their understanding of what whiteness is. The advancement of 2SLGBTQ+ rights directly challenges their ability to enforce their ideas about the superiority of white people and men. It is very anti-Indignous as white supremacy was also at the core of colonialism and the genocide of Indigenous people. Antisemitism is also a critical aspect of this ideology, with conspiracy theories about Jewish people seeking to destroy “western culture” being prolific in these circles.
In the United States, many of the attacks on school boards have not only been against 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion but also anti-racist education and CRT. The use of “ anti-woke” by these groups is a reaction to the efforts by school boards to become more inclusive of all students. It is a racist dog whistle used as an attempt to mainstream white supremacist ideas. Protests against drag shows have also attracted white supremacists alongside anti-2SLGBTQ organizers. In Peterborough, a neo-Nazi showed up to a drag show displaying white power symbols and calling performers pedophiles and calling for their “destruction.” White supremacy is an inherently violent ideology that poses an extreme threat to the physical safety of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, especially those that are not white. The prominent presence and acceptance of these white supremacists in the anti-2SLGBTQ+ movement needs to be acknowledged and is further evidence that hate and violence are at the core of anti-2SLGBTQ+ organizing.
While belief in conspiracy theories may not be an inherently hateful ideology, there are many aspects of conspiracism that involve hate. One such aspect is the common conspiracy of a secret cabal of people controlling world events. Many conspiracy theories involve this trope which is actually rooted in an antisemitic conspiracy theory. The more a person gets into conspiracy theories, the more these antisemitic ideas take root.
Many conspiracy theories also involve allegations of violence against children. These conspiracy theories are particularly concerning as they can often lead to adherents taking violent action to try and “save the children,” like in the Comet Ping Pong attack that was based on the pizzagate conspiracy theory. When the false allegations of sexual violence levelled at educators and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals are bundled into a conspiracy theory they have the potential to lead to more violence. Any platforming of the dissemination of these conspiracy theories risks more people falling into them. So while conspiracism may not be as explicit of a hate ideology compared to Christian nationalism and white supremacy, it is an important aspect of the spread of 2SLGBTQ+ hate ideology.