Protecting Rights through Intersectional Solidarity & Media literacy

forthcoming

PRISM addresses the urgent need to counter disinformation targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals, aligning with this call priority 2. The project advances media literacy and critical thinking, empowering citizens to identify manipulation tactics and safeguard the principles of European democracy. Responding directly to the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020–2025, PRISM contributes to Pillar 1 (Tackling discrimination), Pillar 3 (Building inclusive societies) & Pillar 4 (Leading the call for equality globally). It simultaneously advances Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 (Gender Equality), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), & 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Through a transnational, intersectional approach grounded in SOGIESC principles, PRISM equips LGBTQIA+ youth, their educators (families, teachers), civil society actors, and media professionals with tools to recognize and counter disinformation. This holistic approach ensures that youth are not isolated agents of change but part of systemic transformations. Key activities include media literacy training programs, developing and disseminating practical tools to detect and debunk disinformation using concrete LGBTQIA+ narratives, and amplifying authentic stories to replace extremist propaganda. Public awareness campaigns will highlight the risks of disinformation (including the use of SLAPPs to silence activists and journalists) and promote responsible AI use, while building a GDPR-compliant, crowdsourced open data dataset of 1,000+ verified anti-LGBTQIA+ cases (could enhance pre-trained model e.g. HateBERT). PRISM leverages storytelling’s neurological impact, enabling audiences to “experience” stories as their own, aiming to foster empathy and reshape attitudes (UC Berkeley, 2013). Strategic alliances with women’s rights organizations further reinforce the link between between advancing LGBTQIA+ rights and strengthening gender equality (UN Women, 2019).