Analyzing feminist institutional and movement responses to the anti-gender campaigns: the case of Sweden

There is a growing research on anti-gender campaigns in various countries. Scholars analyze the actors behind these initiatives, the discourses, strategies and effects of organized opposition to gender equality and minority rights. Anti-gender campaigns appear to be relatively weak in Sweden, where the national identity is rooted in gender equality ideals and even the right-wing actors present themselves as proponents of gender equality and the rights of homosexual people. Sweden was also ranked as the most gender equal country in the European Union according to the Gender Inequality Index compiled by EIGE between 2018 and 2021. However, the idea of “Swedish exceptionalism” has been criticized by scholars and activists who point out to racist, homonationalist and femonationalists discourses and practices in the country. Between 2015 and 2023 we could observe a gradual emergence of anti-gender discourses and policy proposals in Sweden: by 2021 the term gender had become associated with negative connotations such as ‘genusflum’ (gender scam), ‘gender ideology’ and ‘the gender doctrine,’ and direct attacks on academic freedom and gender studies have become visible. The right-wing parties, such as Sweden Democrats have used femonationalist discourse to oppose migration and to vilify racialized groups, and especially Islam. This presentation will focus on the feminist responses to this trend, both from within political institutions and social movements. The analysis is based on interviews with politicians and activists, as well as examination of social media events and parliamentary debates pertaining to issues such as equality, family and parenthood, migration, gender studies and academic freedom in the Swedish context.