The Anti-Gender Movement in Europe and the Educational Process in Public Schools
Keywords:
gender theory, gender ideology, public schools, educational process
Abstract
Mass protests across Europe against marriage equality, reproductive rights, gender mainstreaming and sexual education have centralised in the past few years around so-called “gender theory”. This theory is explained as a new threat to the “traditional family” and “natural masculinity and femininity”, as it allegedly aims at cultural revolution: a post-binary gender world. Many of these debates (and concrete actions) are targeted at schools and the educational process. It is believed that “gender theory” is already being taught in schools, which will have detrimental consequences for pupils. Agents of the anti-gender movement claim that children are being sexualised and brainwashed by “gender theory”. Taking this debate as the starting point, we first examine the roots of the term “gender theory” and point to its nature as an “empty signifier”. We then analyse the types of anti-gender actions across Europe that interfere with the educational process in public schools. Finally, we consider the role of parents and their right to intervene (or not) in the educational process. On the basis of the existing rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, we argue that the provision that parents are entitled to educate their children in accordance with their religious and moral beliefs does not mean that teachers in schools should avoid issues that might “morally distress” pupils or their parents, as long as schools avoid indoctrination, and providing the topics (like any other topics) are conveyed in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner.
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References
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Mayer, S., & Sauer, B. (2017). “Gender ideology†in Austria: Coalitions around an empty signifier. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 23– 40). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
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Robinson, K. H. (2008). In the Name of ‘Childhood Innocence’: A Discursive Exploration of the Moral Panic Associated with Childhood and Sexuality. Cultural Studies Review, 14(2), 113–129.
Stambolis-Ruhstorfer, M., & Tricou, J. (2017). Resisting “gender theory†in France: A fulcrum for religious action in a secular society. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 79– 98). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Strehovec, T. (2013). Zakonska zveza v perspektivi drugega vatikanskega koncila [Marriage and Family in the Perspective of the Theology of the Second Vatican Council]. Bogoslovni vestnik, 73(2), 233–249.
Villa, P.-I. (2017). “Anti-genderismusâ€: German angst? In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Antigender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 99– 116). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Wodak, R. (2015). The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean. London: Sage.
Anatrella, Tony. (2015). Teorija spola: kulturni izziv [Gender Theory: A Cultural Challenge]. Ljubljana: Novi svet.
BijelicÌ, N. (2008). Sex education in Croatia: Tensions between secular and religious discourses. European Journal of Women’s Studies, 15(4), 329–343.
Buss, D. E. (2004). Finding the Homosexual in Women’s Rights: The Christian Right in International Politics. International Feminist Journal of Politics, 6(2), 257–284.
Cestnik, B. (2013). Kaj je spol? [What Is Gender?] Brane na cesti (blog). Retrieved from http://branenacesti.blogspot.si/2013/09/kaj-je-spol.html.
Debevec, M. (2015). Teorija spola – prazen strah? [Gender Theory – an Empty Fear?] Radio OgnjiÅ¡Äe, April 14. Retrieved from http://radio.ognjisce.si/sl/165/komentarji/16885/.
European Court of Human Rights (2012). Fifth section decision as to the admissibility of Application no. 319/08. Retrieved from http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-106382%22]}.
Garbagnoli, S. (2017). Italy as a lighthouse: Anti-gender protests between the “anthropological question†and national identity. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 151– 174). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Grabowska, M. (2014). Cultural War or Business as Usual? Recent Instances and the Historical Origins of the Backlash Against Women’s Rights and Sexual Rights in Poland. In Heinrich Böll
Foundation (Ed.), Anti-Gender Movements on the Rise? Strategising for Gender Equality in Central and Eastern Europe (pp. 64–74). Berlin: Heinrich Böll Foundation.
Graff, A., & Korolczuk, E. (2017a). “Worse than communism and Nazism put togetherâ€: War on gender in Poland. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 175– 194). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Graff, A., & Korolczuk, E. (2017b). Gender as ‘Ebola from Brussels’: the anti-colonial frame and the rise of illiberal Populism. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society (forthcoming).
HodžiÄ, A., & Bijelić, N. (2014). Neo-Conservative Threats to Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights in the European Union. Zagreb: CESI.
Hodžić, A., & Štulhofer, A. (2017). Embryo, teddy bear-centaur and the constitution: Mobilizations against “gender ideology†and sexual permissiveness in Croatia. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 59– 78). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Kodelja, Z. (1995). LaiÄna Å¡ola: pro et contra [Secular School: pro et contra]. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga.
Korolczuk, E. (2014). The War on Gender from a Transnational Perspective – Lessons for Feminist Strategizing. Berlin: Heinrich Böll Stiftung.
KovaÄ Å ebart, M. (2015). How to evaluate and judge when the moral-educational dimension of instruction is concerned? Review of European studies, 7(11), 138–146.
KovaÄ Å ebart, M., & Krek, J. (2009). Vzgojna zasnova javne Å¡ole [Educational Basis of Public School]. Ljubljana: PedagoÅ¡ka fakulteta.
KovaÄ Å ebart, M., & Kuhar, R. (2017). The Pluralisation of Family Life: Implications for Preschool Education. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal (forthcoming).
Kováts, E., & Pető, A. (2017). Anti-gender discourse in Hungary: A discourse without a movement? In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 117– 132). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Kováts, E., & Põim, M. (Eds.) (2015). Gender as Symbolic Glue: The Position and Role of Conservative and Far Right Parties in the Anti-Gender Mobilizations in Europe. Budapest: FEPS and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
Kuby, G. (2016). The Global Revolution. Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom. Kettering: Angelico Press.
Kuhar, R., & Patternote, D., (Eds.) (2017). Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality. New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Kuhar, R. (2015). Playing with Science: Sexual Citizenship and the Roman Catholic Church Counter-Narratives in Slovenia and Croatia. Women’s Studies International Forum, 49(1), 84–92.
Lazaridis, G., Campani, G., & Benveniste, A. (Eds.) (2016). The Rise of the Far Right in Europe: Populist Shifts and “Othering.†London: Palgrave.
Lefort, C. (2001). Mednarodno pravo, Älovekove pravice in politiÄna akcija [International Law, Human Rights and Political Action]. In J. Å umić - Riha (Ed.), Pravo in politika (pp. 229–241).
Ljubljana: Liberalna akademija.
Mayer, S., & Sauer, B. (2017). “Gender ideology†in Austria: Coalitions around an empty signifier. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 23– 40). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
O’Leary, D. (1997). The Gender Agenda: Redefining Equality. Lafayette: Vital Issue Press. Paternotte, D., & Kuhar, R. (2017a). “Gender ideology†in movement. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte
(Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 1– 22). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Paternotte, D., & Kuhar, R. (2017b). The anti-gender movement in comparative perspective. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 253–276). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Paternotte, D. (2015). Blessing the Crowds: Catholic Mobilizations against Gender in Europe. In S. Hark & P. I. Villa (Eds.), Anti-genderismus: Sexualität und Geschlecht als Schauplätze aktueller politischer Auseinandersetzungen (pp. 129–147). Bielefeld: Transcript.
Plummer, K. (2003). Intimate Citizenship: Private Decisions and Public Dialogues. Seattle, London: University of Washington Press.
Richardson, D. (2000). Rethinking sexuality. London: Sage.
Right to education project (2013). Kjeldsen, Busk Madsen and Pedersen v. Denmark (1976). Retrieved from http://www.right-to-education.org/resource/kjeldsen-busk-madsen-and-pedersen-vdenmark-1976.
Robinson, K. H. (2008). In the Name of ‘Childhood Innocence’: A Discursive Exploration of the Moral Panic Associated with Childhood and Sexuality. Cultural Studies Review, 14(2), 113–129.
Stambolis-Ruhstorfer, M., & Tricou, J. (2017). Resisting “gender theory†in France: A fulcrum for religious action in a secular society. In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Anti-gender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 79– 98). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Strehovec, T. (2013). Zakonska zveza v perspektivi drugega vatikanskega koncila [Marriage and Family in the Perspective of the Theology of the Second Vatican Council]. Bogoslovni vestnik, 73(2), 233–249.
Villa, P.-I. (2017). “Anti-genderismusâ€: German angst? In R. Kuhar & D. Paternotte (Eds.), Antigender campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing Against Equality (pp. 99– 116). New York, London: Rowman & Littlefield International.
Wodak, R. (2015). The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean. London: Sage.
Published
2017-06-30
How to Cite
Kuhar, R., & Zobec, A. (2017). The Anti-Gender Movement in Europe and the Educational Process in Public Schools. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 7(2), 29–46. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.168
Section
FOCUS
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