The country of Georgia has been in the headlines after thousands of people took to the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, to protest a law that would require not-for-profit groups to register as “foreign agents”. The law is modeled after a Russian law meant to stifle free speech and critics of the government.
However, one other important event took place on May 12th without the same degree of international fanfare—Georgia’s first vogue ball.
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The Sakartvelo Ball, Sakartvelo being the endonym for Georgia, was held at the Elektrowerk club and featured local and international judges with Hanabi Mugler from France, Arsen Nina Oricci from Armenia, and the mother of Georgia, Teona Bonchinche. The theme was cyber baroque, and attendees came dressed in a riot of color and glitter worthy of any futuristic ballroom.
Throughout the night, 15 categories, from All American Runway to Lip Syncing, were open to people of all genders and sexualities. Participants were even more diverse than the judges, with Georgians, Turks, Moldovans, Armenians, and Russians taking to the stage.
This ball represents a bright spark of hope in a country currently rocked by protests and was a significant step for the LGBTQ+ community.
LGBTQ+ people remain a risk in the country, with Pride celebrations last year disrupted by 2,000+ protesters, a continuation of the violence that saw a journalist die after attacks at a Pride parade two years ago. Georgia remains a predominantly Orthodox Christian country, with 83.4% of the population self-describing as Orthodox Christians. The Orthodox Church in Georgia does not accept or acknowledge LGBT+ rights or identity.
Currently, the Evangelical Baptist Peace Cathedral, run by Bishop Malkhaz Sonuglashvili, remains the only religious institution in the country that accepts and recognizes LGBTQ+ people.
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