On January 21, pro-government TV channels Imedi and POSTV, several Facebook users and pages (1, 2, 3), as well as INFO9 news agency, disseminated a video and information card claiming that the Chair of a leading human rights NGO, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), refused to answer the question about the number of sexes. When asked by Imedi journalist, “Can you tell us how many sexes exist?” the human rights defender explains that she does not answer the question, that she does not comment on Donald Trump’s statements, and that her organization does not work on the mentioned topic. The video features the logo of Imedi and its 2 p.m. newscast “Kronika.” The video published by POSTV is captioned, “They have not come up with a common message yet.”
A video circulating on social media is incomplete and manipulative, as it does not show Nona Kurdovanidze speaking about the existence of two sexes. In response to a question from Imedi, the human rights defender states that there are two sexes, male and female, but separately, gender and gender identity also exist. However, her comment is presented as if she did not acknowledge the existence of two sexes.
On January 20, the inauguration of America’s new president, Donald Trump, took place. In his inaugural address, Trump said, “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.” Later, he issued an executive order that changed state policies on gender and diversity. Donald Trump reversed orders issued by Joe Biden’s administration on these topics. He also rescinded an order aimed at combating discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
The day after the inauguration of America’s 47th president, journalists from the TV channel Imedi posed the same question to opposition politicians and representatives of non-governmental organizations: “How many sexes exist?”
In the video circulating on social media, it can be seen that it is clipped from the 2 p.m. news program, “Kronika.” In addition to Kurdovanidze, the journalist asked the same question (at 15:50) to Lana Galdava, a member of the political party Lelo; Levan Bezhashvili, a member of the political party United National Movement; Tina Khidasheli, founder of the NGO Civil Idea; and Giorgi Butikashvili, a member of the coalition For Change. The respondents answer the Imedi journalist that there are two sexes, male and female. Their comments, including Kurdovanidze’s response, are fully included in the report.
Chair of GYLA tells the Imedi journalist that she does not evaluate Donald Trump’s decisions, that GYLA works on issues of democracy and human rights within the country, and that she cannot comment on such topics. After the journalist repeats the question, “How many sexes exist?” Kurdovanidze responds (at 17:45) that there are two sexes and that gender identity also exists.
Journalist: “How then should we frame questions about this topic? Should we request information about the proper format for asking questions? Should this question – how many sexes are there – be sent via email or what format should we use?”
Kurdovanidze: “Yes, there’s sex and there’s gender. Which one do you mean?”
Journalist: “I’m asking about sex. How many are there?”
Kurdovanidze: “Sex is male and female, but there’s also gender and gender identity.”
Despite the human rights defender’s comment that there are two sexes, media outlets and Facebook users shared her statement incompletely, cutting the part of the video where Kurdovanidze speaks about the two sexes and, separately, about gender identity.
Politicians from the Georgian Dream and pro-government media are using Donald Trump’s statement on the existence of two sexes to prove a shared value alignment between Trump and the Georgian Dream. They try to link the anti-LGBT law adopted last year to Donald Trump’s statement. Since December 1, 2024, the “Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors” has come into force, which the European Union views as a threat to stigmatization and increased discrimination. The law bans any medical interventions aimed at changing one’s sex, imposes censorship on the dissemination of information, including in educational institutions, and prohibits assemblies or demonstrations for sexual/gender minorities.
In recent years, cases of spreading false information about representatives of the non-governmental sector and their activities have increased. Disinformation and discreditation campaigns have intensified, especially after the initiation and adoption of the so-called “foreign agents” law. Media outlets associated with the Georgian Dream and members of the party itself also participate in these campaigns. The Myth Detector monitors and regularly fact-checks false or manipulative claims circulated in the media and on social networks.
One of the individuals who is sharing Nona Kurdovanidze’s video manipulatively is Irakli Jankarashvili. He is the creator of the page Publicist.ge. Initially, the page was called Politico, then renamed “ირაკლი ჯანყარაშვილი / irakli jankarashvili.” Currently, the page regularly publishes anti-Western and opposition-discrediting posts and is notable for its support of the Georgian Dream. Jankarashvili frequently shares false information both on his personal profile and on the Publicist page, some of which has been fact-checked by Myth Detector.
Davit Tordia is a supporter of the Georgian Dream and manages the affiliated page “Leader 41.” In addition to his activity, he is known for publishing disinformation and manipulative content or visual materials on social media.
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