Gender Equality in the European Audiovisual Sector: An Intersectional Perspective

Abstract

This article interrogates the ostensible progress towards gender equality in the European audiovisual sector through a rigorously applied intersectional framework, revealing the inadequacy of aggregated representation metrics for capturing the multidimensional nature of exclusionary practices. Drawing upon comprehensive data from national film institutes, regulatory bodies and independent research entities, the analysis demonstrates how the modest improvements in women’s overall industry presence—from 21% to 26% between 2015 and 2023 (Fontaine, 2024)—obscure profound disparities when gender intersects with ethnicity, sexuality, disability and socio-economic positioning. The investigation reveals systematic marginalisation patterns wherein women of colour constitute less than 1.5% of key production roles in Britain's film industry (UK Film Council, 2016), whilst the examination of disability representation uncovers that 76% of disabled characters in contemporary media are portrayed as white males (Smith et al., 2023). Methodologically, the research navigates the variable data landscape across European territories, synthesising quantitative representation metrics with qualitative analyses of industry practices and policy interventions. In documenting the evolution from gender-specific to intersectional policy approaches, exemplified by the BFI Diversity Standards' multidimensional framework, the article contributes to emergent scholarly discourse on equitable industry transformation. The findings underscore the necessity for structural interventions that address not merely numerical representation but the complex interplay of privilege and disadvantage operating within European media institutions.