Morality, biology and the free market: (De)Naturalizing the EU's gender equality agenda in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Synopsis In harmonizing their national legislative frameworks to adhere to European Union (EU) gender equality mandates, the post-socialist states of the EU's fifth enlargement met the formal stipulates for accession. I draw upon interviews with this body of laws' duty bearers – namely, those charged with the task of promoting and protecting gender equality – in the Czech Republic to consider the de facto respect for this commitment. I find an emerging rebuff of these legislative assurances, with many duty bearers interpreting them as an undesirable breach of a natural social and economic order. However, some duty bearers, mainly lawyers, construe them as a desirable disruption to an unnatural political order. For all, the socialist past informs their understandings and thus constitutes a powerful countervailing force to full compliance. Only by opening up debate across Europe and apprehending how equality-associated concepts and principles are variably mobilized might gender equality be made real.