Opposition to gender quotas in Sweden and Spain: Debates about gender equality in the film industry

Abstract

This article analyses how gender quotas in film policy are debated in the Spanish and Swedish film industries. By analysing public records, media material and interviews with industry stakeholders, four categories of arguments are found: (1) Arguments for quotas, articulating the problems women face in the industry; (2) Arguments against quotas related to the specificities of the industry; (3) Arguments for and against quotas which refer to women's shortcomings, and; (4) Arguments problematising quotas by feminists who want more transformative reforms. While policies are designed differently and have different conceptualisations of gender, arguments discussing quotas are similar in both countries. Gender equality policies in both countries seem unable to change the male norm in the industry. Arguments put forth by opponents tend to point to women's lack of talent and how quotas will jeopardise the industry, whereas feminist arguments problematising quotas point at the limitations of the reforms to seriously question structural inequalities.