Legally Combatting Gender-based Discrimination in Greece

Our effort of raising the issue of gender discrimination in Greece is mainly motivated by the increase in incidents of gender and domestic violence in recent years which, although not defined as discrimination in the strict sense of the term, it is the result of a deeply rooted patriarchical system of organization of the society in Greece. Suffice to look into the levels of participation of women in the Greek Parliament, the Local Governments, the business world, especially in terms of higher grades. At the same time, the omnipresence of far-right political discourse and hate speech with intense racist and sexist content, both in Greece and the rest of Europe, is a constant reminder that in order to achieve real equality and equal treatment, institutional protection is does not suffice but that a constant struggle is needed, especially at the level of change in social perceptions.

The demands of the feminist movement have brought the different aspects of gender at the forefront and have laid the ground for a deeper and more sincere discussion of these taboo issues. They have shown how the concept of gender beyond its biological dimension is a "social construction" defined by the social and cultural perceptions of a society, as well as how this determines social relations and, in general, the organization of society. Besides, gender does not only refer to a person's biological sex, but it includes gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation as well. Transcending local peculiarities, a characteristic of patriarchal societies is the unequal distribution of power between men and women, with women being systematically and substantially oppressed. By defining social roles for men and women, there is no room for coexistence with individuals whose identity exceeds this bipolar "regularity".

In response, the contemporary feminist movement both in Greece and internationally. as well as the LGBTQI+ community in particular,  ask for a gender democracy where every person has the right to self-determination of theur gender identity, where  the gender parameter permeates all the social and institutional structures, a demand that the State is obliged to recognize and apply without limitations and discrimination.

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