Mainstreaming and transnationalization of anti-gender ideas through social media: the case of CitizenGO

Author(s)
Nicola Righetti, Aytalina Kulichkina, Bruna Almeida Paroni, Zsofia Fanni Cseri, Sofia Iriarte Aguirre, Kateryna Maikovska
Abstract

Social media platforms can be effective tools for mainstreaming and transnationalization of radical positions. Anti-gender ideas have particularly gained traction transnationally in recent years. Despite extensive research on the anti-gender movement, the specific role of social media remains underexplored. How do anti-gender organizations use social media to strategically mainstream and transnationalize their agenda? This study addresses this overarching question by focusing on CitizenGO, a digital advocacy organization that holds a key position within the anti-gender transnational advocacy network. We examine its multilingual social media network and activities over a decade (2013–2022) using computational and digital methods. The findings indicate that CitizenGO uses a sophisticated network of social media accounts to coordinate and amplify anti-gender messages across different languages and regions. The study suggests that CitizenGO’s strategic use of social media is aimed at mainstreaming and globalizing anti-gender agendas, contributing new insights into the mechanisms of digital advocacy and the transnational expansion of anti-gender networks.

Organisation(s)
Department of Communication
External organisation(s)
Università degli Studi di Urbino "Carlo Bo", University of Vienna
Journal
Information, Communication & Society
ISSN
1369-118X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2025.2470229
Publication date
02-2025
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
508020 Political communication, 508007 Communication science
Keywords
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/19686afa-2626-4563-b86a-08d6b0116c07