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Iceland isn't really a paragon of gender equality Iceland isn't really a paragon of gender equality
(2 months later)
Four years ago, Iceland elected its first female prime minister. But how far has the gender equality movement really come?Four years ago, Iceland elected its first female prime minister. But how far has the gender equality movement really come?
Iceland: the country that outlawed strip clubs and wanted to make hardcore porn illegal. That elected a lesbian prime minister. That suffered an economic meltdown and then sent in the women to "clean up the mess". That ranked at the top of the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report 2012. The country home to the a university where, it is now reported, 70% of all postgraduate students are female.Iceland: the country that outlawed strip clubs and wanted to make hardcore porn illegal. That elected a lesbian prime minister. That suffered an economic meltdown and then sent in the women to "clean up the mess". That ranked at the top of the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report 2012. The country home to the a university where, it is now reported, 70% of all postgraduate students are female.
It is tempting to imagine these stories sum up what Iceland is all about: Iceland bailed out the people and jailed the bankers, Icelandic women are the Valkyries of gender equality, marching stealthily toward the goal of total emancipation. The stuff of shallow social media memes, that spread through cyberspace like an out-of-control virus. Alas, the truth behind the facade is always far more complex.It is tempting to imagine these stories sum up what Iceland is all about: Iceland bailed out the people and jailed the bankers, Icelandic women are the Valkyries of gender equality, marching stealthily toward the goal of total emancipation. The stuff of shallow social media memes, that spread through cyberspace like an out-of-control virus. Alas, the truth behind the facade is always far more complex.
In some respects the last electoral term was golden for Icelandic women. The milestones were impressive: Iceland voted in Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir as prime minister, and her first cabinet was evenly split between men and women, while her second had a female majority – six women to five men. That same government passed the law banning strip clubs, criminalised payments for sexual services, and set a boardroom quota law stipulating that 40% of company boards needed to be made up of women.In some respects the last electoral term was golden for Icelandic women. The milestones were impressive: Iceland voted in Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir as prime minister, and her first cabinet was evenly split between men and women, while her second had a female majority – six women to five men. That same government passed the law banning strip clubs, criminalised payments for sexual services, and set a boardroom quota law stipulating that 40% of company boards needed to be made up of women.
Yet for all their supposed advances in gender equality, Icelandic women are not that different from women elsewhere in the western hemisphere. They are still being slotted into gender-specific professions like nursing and teaching. They struggle to navigate the demands of the labour market while still being largely responsible for home, hearth and children.Yet for all their supposed advances in gender equality, Icelandic women are not that different from women elsewhere in the western hemisphere. They are still being slotted into gender-specific professions like nursing and teaching. They struggle to navigate the demands of the labour market while still being largely responsible for home, hearth and children.
There was a reason for that boardroom law, after all. Icelandic women currently make up a paltry 3% of all company board members in the country. And with the boardroom law set to take effect on 1 September this year, it is a little difficult to see how the 40% quota will be achieved. It is also hard to envisage the current government setting stringent measures to enforce the law.There was a reason for that boardroom law, after all. Icelandic women currently make up a paltry 3% of all company board members in the country. And with the boardroom law set to take effect on 1 September this year, it is a little difficult to see how the 40% quota will be achieved. It is also hard to envisage the current government setting stringent measures to enforce the law.
Last May Icelanders voted to bring back into power the conservative parties that brought Iceland to the brink of bankruptcy in 2008. Apart from any other implications, this appears to have constituted a significant setback for Icelandic women. Currently, of nine cabinet ministers, only three are female. And gender stereotyping is alive and well. When it first took office, the government's economic affairs and trade committee was made up of nine men and not a single woman. Meanwhile, the welfare committee was made up of eight women and one man. A token woman was subsequently added to the former, and a second man to the latter, but only after a flurry of criticism forced the (male) coalition leaders to make the change.Last May Icelanders voted to bring back into power the conservative parties that brought Iceland to the brink of bankruptcy in 2008. Apart from any other implications, this appears to have constituted a significant setback for Icelandic women. Currently, of nine cabinet ministers, only three are female. And gender stereotyping is alive and well. When it first took office, the government's economic affairs and trade committee was made up of nine men and not a single woman. Meanwhile, the welfare committee was made up of eight women and one man. A token woman was subsequently added to the former, and a second man to the latter, but only after a flurry of criticism forced the (male) coalition leaders to make the change.
While those latest figures on women in postgraduate programmes seem encouraging, they are a little hard to interpret. Yes, they could mean that Icelandic women are competent, strong and ambitious – which they most certainly are. Or they could mean that women still need a higher level of education than men to compete with them in the labour market. They could also mean that the educational system is failing to meet the needs of boys and young men, as it seems to be in many countries around the world. Or that men are not entering graduate programmes because they are under great pressure to provide for their families.While those latest figures on women in postgraduate programmes seem encouraging, they are a little hard to interpret. Yes, they could mean that Icelandic women are competent, strong and ambitious – which they most certainly are. Or they could mean that women still need a higher level of education than men to compete with them in the labour market. They could also mean that the educational system is failing to meet the needs of boys and young men, as it seems to be in many countries around the world. Or that men are not entering graduate programmes because they are under great pressure to provide for their families.
Let us not forget that in order to reach true equality we must work to meet the needs of both sexes, ensuring that each individual can flourish in his or her own way. The patriarchy oppresses both men and women. We can only hope that some of those savvy females currently working on their postgraduate degrees eventually work to move Iceland forward, towards an ideal of true gender equality. And that the conservatives in the crowd move aside to let them.Let us not forget that in order to reach true equality we must work to meet the needs of both sexes, ensuring that each individual can flourish in his or her own way. The patriarchy oppresses both men and women. We can only hope that some of those savvy females currently working on their postgraduate degrees eventually work to move Iceland forward, towards an ideal of true gender equality. And that the conservatives in the crowd move aside to let them.
• This article was commissioned after a suggestion from Pairubu. If there's a subject you'd like to see covered on Comment is free, please visit our You Tell Us page• This article was commissioned after a suggestion from Pairubu. If there's a subject you'd like to see covered on Comment is free, please visit our You Tell Us page
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