Homonationalism is an academic term coined to describe the selective acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in order to promote a nationalist ideology. It describes a phenomenon in which some nations strategically show increased support for LGBTQ+ rights as a means of reinforcing racial, religious, and cultural hierarchies. The term explains how discourses of sexual inclusion and LGBTQ+ acceptance, particularly in Western contexts, are used to justify xenophobic, Islamophobic, or racist policies, often by portraying marginalized communities as inherently homophobic and Western nations as sexually progressive.

The term "homonationalism" was coined by gender studies scholar Jasbir K. Puar in her 2007 book Terrorist Assemblages: Homonationalism in Queer Times. The term refers to how, in the context of Western modernity, liberal power structures co-opt certain LGBTQ+ rights discourses — typically centered on white, cisgender, citizen-identifying queer subjects — to construct a national identity that is portrayed as progressive and tolerant, while simultaneously justifying racist, xenophobic and aporophobic policies, particularly against Muslim communities. As a result, sexual diversity and LGBTQ+ rights are sometimes used to support political positions opposing immigration, a strategy that has become increasingly common among far-right parties.

Homonationalist narratives often rely on orientalist and homophobic stereotypes that depict immigrants, especially those from Muslim-majority countries, as inherently intolerant and regressive, thereby reinforcing notions of a morally superior Western society. By that, these portrayals can be used to legitimize exclusionary practices, such as increased border security, surveillance and anti-immigration legislation. Puar describes the association between sexual rights with such (homo)nationalist aims as "form of sexual exceptionalism [dependent on the] segregation and disqualification of racial and sexual others" , a framework wherein only selected LGBTQ+ are incorporated into the national imaginary, while others are excluded or made invisible.

This dynamic has also been explored further by philosopher Judith Butler who in 2008 referred to it as a form of sexual politics. Butler argues that the promotion of progressive rights, such as same-sex marriage, is often used to cement national identity by contrastring liberal, secular, European norms with the perceived conservatism of migrant or Muslim populations.

The concept of homonationalism was developed to analyze and critique how LGBTQ+ movements have been incorporated into nationalist discourses, often alongside increasing anti-immigrant sentiment, while overlooking the continued presence of homophobia within Western societies. This critique includes how LGBTQ+ rights are frequently defined in terms of access to heteronormative institutions, e.g. military service and legal marriage while structural inequalities and ongoing homophobia within Western societies are often minimized. Claims of social equality in Western societies are often contrasted with countries that criminalize homosexuality or do not legally recognize same-sex marriages, particularly Muslim-majority nations, with such comparisons frequently used to reinforce civilizational hierarchies.

In her 2013 article, "Rethinking Homonationalism", Puar emphasizes that the concept should not be reduced to a critique of individual political actors, policies or solely as a description of "bad politics". Rather, she presents homonationalism not as an isolated phenomenon, but as a feature of modernity, embedded within broader systems of neoliberal governance, security frameworks, and (global) capitalism, aligned with dominant Western societal constructions to uphold existing power structures.

Pinkwashing, also known as rainbow-washing, emerged informally in the United States in 2010 and refers to the co-option of LGBTQ-friendly messaging by states, corporations, or other institutions to present themselves as progressive while deflecting criticism of their other policies or practices such as human rights abuses. The moniker gained popularity in discussions about Israel's public diplomacy, where Israel's support for LGBTQ+ rights is frequently cited while deflecting criticism of its treatment of Palestinians. Academics such as Maya Mikdashi and Sarah Schulman argue that such representations frame Israel as a beacon of LGBTQ+ inclusivity, while portraying Palestinian Arab and/or Muslim societies as inherently homophobic, reinforcing orientalist and islamophobic assumptions.

Homonationalism should not be equated with femonationalism, introduced by sociologist Sara R. Farris in 2012, which describes how nationalist ideologies and neoliberal policies align with certain feminist discourses to justify anti-immigrant and Islamophobic agendas. Like homonationalism, femonationalism instrumentalizes progressive ideals; in this case, women's rights, to portray Muslim men or societies as inherently patriarchal and Western societies as fundamentally egalitarian. This logic can be mobilzed to legitimize restrictive immigration policies and sustain a narrative of Western moral superiority under the guise of aiming for progressive gender equality.