Same same but different: symbolic boundaries among Czech anti-gender activists

The article applies the sociocultural theory of symbolic boundaries to examine how activists involved in the Czech variant of the anti-gender movement construct and understand their own identities, as well as those of their perceived adversaries, through the symbolic distinctions they draw between “us” and “them.” Specifically, it explores internal ideological variations that have emerged within a single national context. Drawing on a prior discourse analysis and 10 life-history interviews with prominent Czech anti-gender figures, the study identifies three ideologically distinct branches within the movement: Catholic, neoliberal, and far-right. The findings reveal that, although these branches often cooperate and share certain rhetorical commonalities, individuals within each group employ different symbolic boundaries to define themselves and their political activities—not only in opposition to ideological adversaries, but also in distinction from other anti-gender activists. These differences are shaped in part by varying levels of cultural and socioeconomic capital. Overall, the study demonstrates that anti-gender actors’ perceptions of “gender ideology,” as well as the symbolic boundaries they construct, are closely linked to their social positions and life circumstances.