La Nau hosts a conference about the limits on gender-based freedom of expression

The following will speak in the debate: Mercedes Alcañiz Moscardó, teacher of Sociology at the University Jaume I de Castellón; Antonio Ariño, vice-principal for Culture and full university professor of Sociology of the Universitat de València; Maria Such, director of the Valencian Women Institute; and Josep V. Gavaldà, professor of Audiovisual Communication of of the Universitat de València.

The event, following the publication of the work 'Regulation and control over audiovisual content in Spain’ (Aranzadi, 2017), pretends to reflect on the various legislative measures that, from the part of criminal politic and of the administrative regulation, have been limiting in recent years the content of freedom of expression with regard to certain sexist claims, discriminatory or inciting to hatred and violence against women.

There are several examples of controversial cases recently, from the prohibition of the “Hazte Oír” bus to some processes in the National High Court where singers who have lyrics that are considered discriminatory have been prosecuted. There are also a legislative production consisting of several Autonomous Regions, including the Valencian Region, with anti-discrimination rules against groups such as women or transgender people, which allow for the control and punishment of certain expressive content.

The convene round table will discuss all these issues, taking advantage of the approaches made in the various works of the book and, in particular, commenting on the chapter of the former director of activities of the Office of the vice-principal for Culture, Gonzalo Montiel, deceased in 2015. His chapter was about “Logics of control and logics of surveillance in the regulation of the audiovisual industry: the reform of art. 510 of the Penal Code”, which makes it possible to punish hate speech against women.