Overview

This report presents the findings of a semi-annual monitoring effort by Journalists for Tolerance, focusing on manifestations of hate speech and use of incorrect language about LGBTQ+ communities in Belarusian online media. The monitoring was conducted every two months and included 297 articles published by 36 national and local online media outlets.

The aim of the monitoring is to provide a systematic overview of linguistic and rhetorical patterns that either stigmatise LGBTQ+ people or reflect discrimination against them — highlighting both overt hate speech and subtler forms of inappropriate terminology. The initiative distinguishes between “hate speech” (which poses a threat to public safety and human dignity) and “inappropriate vocabulary” (which reproduces harmful stereotypes without necessarily inciting hatred).

Key Trends

In the first half of 2020, 71% of publications used correct terminology in reference to LGBTQ+ topics, while 29% used inappropriate language. This marks a continuation of the positive shift first recorded in 2019, when for the first time the share of respectful language outweighed derogatory phrasing.

However, the share of content containing actual hate speech rose sharply. While only 4% of publications included hate speech in January–February, by March–April that number more than tripled to 14%, and remained at that level through June. The rise in hate rhetoric coincided with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also reduced the overall volume of LGBTQ+-related reporting.

Notably, national media were more likely to use respectful language (78% of LGBTQ+-related content), whereas half of all local media publications on LGBTQ+ topics included inappropriate terminology.

Visibility and Framing

Only one third of all monitored publications focused directly on LGBTQ+ issues. The remaining articles included brief mentions — often only one or two sentences — which were more likely to contain incorrect or stigmatizing language.

References to LGBTQ+ individuals in international contexts remained more common than stories focused on LGBTQ+ life within Belarus (only 46% of the articles addressed local realities).

Frequent terms included “LGBT,” “gay,” and “homosexuality.” In 17% of cases, problematic terms such as “non-traditional orientation,” “sexual minority,” and “homosexualism” were used. Alarmingly, the previously retired slurs “sodom” and “sodomite” re-emerged in three publications during the period.

Forms of Hate Speech

The most common manifestations of hate speech in the first half of 2020 included:

Accusations of social domination or conspiracy, portraying LGBTQ+ people as a political force aiming to “seize power” or undermine traditional values.
Moral discrediting, particularly around family and child safety, often presenting LGBTQ+ people as a threat to societal health or moral order.
Religious condemnation, with comparisons to biblical cities (Sodom and Gomorrah), casting LGBTQ+ identities as sinful or deviant.
Equating LGBTQ+ visibility with dangerous propaganda, including references to “LGBT ideology” as a threat to national security or demographic growth.

Many of these narratives were borrowed from Russian online media and republished without comment by Belarusian platforms, especially Večernij Mahilioŭ and Dalid.by.

Public Engagement and Newsworthiness

Among the articles analysed, 39% included public comments, with some drawing hundreds of responses — especially on high-traffic platforms like tut.by. Major triggers for public attention included:

A petition signed by 55,000 citizens (backed by religious authorities) demanding restrictions on “LGBT propaganda.”
The beginning of the presidential campaign, where candidates’ views on same-sex marriage were often questioned.
Controversial government positions, such as increasing the age of sexual consent — but only for same-sex relations.
International events, such as Poland’s presidential elections and the candidacy of Pete Buttigieg in the US.
Cultural debates, including responses to the film II by Vlada Senkova, which featured a storyline about bullying of a presumed gay character.

Conclusion

Despite an overall improvement in the proportion of respectful language used in Belarusian media (71% of articles), the monitoring revealed a troubling rise in hate speech, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the frequency of reporting on LGBTQ+ topics.

From March to June 2020, every seventh publication on LGBTQ+ issues contained hate speech, compared to only one in 25 in the preceding months. These findings underscore the fragility of progress: while language use may be improving on paper, the underlying hostility remains — and can intensify rapidly in times of social stress or political transition.

Continued monitoring, education of media professionals, and broader public awareness are essential to safeguard inclusive and respectful media environments in Belarus.

The full monitoring report and access to the database of publications are available upon request.

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