Mapping Gender Equality Initiatives across the European Music Industry

The European music industry exhibits profound structural gender inequalities, evidenced by the marginal representation of women and gender-expansive individuals in key creative, executive and public-facing roles. In response, a vast, but fragmented ecosystem of initiatives has emerged to address this. This paper presents a critical case study and reflection on the development of GENiE (Gender Equality Networks in Music), a digital database which maps over 600 gender equality initiatives.
This paper details the challenges of constructing a pan-European database and rigorously examines the significant ethical dilemmas encountered, from gatekeeping to the risk of weaponisation in hostile political environments. Ultimately, the paper contends that projects like GENiE, are essential but must continually navigate the paradox of replicating the very structural burdens they seek to dismantle.