What does this research mean for the field?

Anti-gender movements in Sri Lanka are leveraging motherhood and anti-imperialism to promote queerphobic and transphobic narratives. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.ESTABLISHES_NEW_DIRECTION.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore how motherhood is utilized in anti-gender organizing within Sri Lanka's cultural context.

March 14, 2026

The Maternal Guardians of the Nation: Motherhood as a Site for “Anti-Gender” Organizing in Sri Lanka

Key Points

To explore how motherhood is utilized in anti-gender organizing within Sri Lanka's cultural context.
Analyzed media representations of organized anti-gender actors in Sri Lanka.
Examined the connections between local groups and transnational movements.
Identified key themes of motherhood and anti-imperialism in their narratives.
Anti-gender groups, such as Mother’s Front, gained media traction through queerphobic and transphobic messaging.
The interplay of motherhood and anti-imperialism emerges as a significant strategy.
Transnational ties with evangelical organizations reinforce local anti-gender rhetoric.

Abstract

In Sri Lanka, several organized anti-gender actors with transnational ties, including the group Mother’s Front, with ties to a US-based evangelical church, have gained some traction in the media for their queerphobic and transphobic narratives. This intervention situates these developments within the global context of anti-gender movements by focusing on two key themes: motherhood and anti-imperialism.

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The Maternal Guardians of the Nation: Motherhood as a Site for “Anti-Gender” Organizing in Sri Lanka

Key Points

Abstract

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