Where Are All the Women? Equity, Post-Feminism, and Canadian Theatre

Equity in Theatre (EIT) was launched in 2014 to respond to the enduring and urgent question of women’s disappearance from Canadian stages. This article summarizes the findings from the research phase of the initiative, which resulted in the publication of “Achieving Equity in Canadian Theatre: A Report with Best Practice Recommendations” in April 2015, and it explores the ongoing challenges for increasing the visibility of women in the theatre industry. The current post-feminist climate, which conceptualizes feminism as a movement that has achieved its goals and is therefore no longer necessary, is identified as one of the central causes of the barriers to women’s access and advancement in Canadian theatre. Post-feminism displaces attention from the inequities underlying the industry, focusing instead on the minority of women who have achieved success and visibility within it; excuses those in power from any sense of responsibility; and ultimately perpetuates discrimination and inaction. The article concludes by recommending a wide-ranging, multi-pronged, collaborative approach to redress inequity.