Shoppers for change are gathering , young LGBTQ+ activists are convening in Dublin from 20–25 July for a Countering the Anti-Gender Movement conference that aims to equip 20 participants from across Europe with tools to push back against rising anti-gender rhetoric and shape policy at EU level.

Essential Takeaways

  • Who’s meeting: 20 young LGBTQ+ activists, aged 18–30, from across Europe, brought together by IGLYO and Belong To Youth Services.
  • What happens there: Workshops, peer exchange, policy development and a public panel with groups like TENI, Sporting Pride Dublin and INTO.
  • Why it matters: Builds grassroots capacity to spot, debunk and respond to misinformation and far‑right anti-gender narratives.
  • Practical outcome: Conference policy ideas will be refined and presented to decision‑makers in Brussels in August 2026.
  • Tone and feel: Collaborative, educational and strategic , a mix of lived experience, expert input and advocacy training.

Why a youth conference in Dublin matters now

The anti‑gender movement is more than a slogan; it’s a networked, often far‑right push against gender equality, feminism and LGBTQ+ rights that thrives on online misinformation and moral panic. According to observers, that rhetoric has been gaining traction across Europe, so getting young activists together feels urgent and a little electric , they’re bringing lived experience and courage. IGLYO and Belong To say the Dublin meeting will pair expert input with peer learning so participants don’t just feel prepared, they feel connected.

Practical takeaway: if you work with youth groups, now is the moment to link local activism to European advocacy, because small community stories feed into policy debates.

What the programme looks like , workshops, policy labs and a public panel

The week will mix practical workshops, peer‑to‑peer exchanges and a policy lab designed to turn grassroots realities into actionable proposals. There’s also a planned panel featuring Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI), Sporting Pride Dublin, Belong To and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), which promises a cross‑sector conversation , from education to sports.

This isn’t just theory. Participants will draft policy ideas aimed at tangible change, with the promise those ideas will reach Brussels later on. For activists, that continuity from local learning to continental lobby work is rare and valuable.

How this connects to bigger trends in Europe

Anti‑gender rhetoric has been linked to broader movements , the Manosphere in some corners and Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) currents in others , all contributing to a hostile public discourse. European bodies and civil society groups have been trying to map and counteract these patterns, and events like this slot into a wider effort to bolster resilience.

Observers and institutions have highlighted the need for coordinated responses; putting young people’s voices centre stage acknowledges that the next generation faces distinct digital harms and cultural attacks, and that their strategies matter for future policy.

Practical tips for activists and allies

If you’re an activist or ally watching from afar, consider three modest moves: document local incidents of anti‑gender messaging, connect them to regional or online patterns, and feed those examples into networks like IGLYO so they inform collective advocacy. Keep notes on where misinformation spreads , which platforms, which spokespeople , because evidence is what moves policymakers.

For youth groups preparing delegates: focus on storytelling and concrete asks. Policymakers respond better to clear, actionable recommendations than abstract complaints.

What to expect after the conference

The policy ideas born in Dublin won’t stop there. IGLYO has said they’ll be further elaborated and presented in Brussels in August 2026, offering a direct line from grassroots learning to European decision‑makers. That follow‑through matters: it’s one thing to train activists, another to get their proposals into formal debates.

Look for reports, toolkits or briefings to be published after the week , these will be useful for schools, community groups and NGOs wanting to replicate the model.

It's a small change that can make public debate a lot less hostile.

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