Mainstreaming – et paradoksalt ligestillingsværktøj

The gender mainstreaming strategy was formulated in general terms, thus creating an ‘empty’, yet broadly applicable and acceptable strategy for eliminating multiple kinds of gender gaps. This article constructs a definition of the concept of mainstreaming, and estimates the positive and negative properties of the strategy, concluding that the mainstreaming strategy continually generates a paradox. The paradox of mainstreaming is that the strategy will relinquish gender equality as an end in itself as it enters into the mainstream of any organisation that works with different primary goals. Thus in mainstreaming it is the abandonment of equality as the main objective that creates a unique opportunity for introducing equality strategies into organisations that would not take in a ‘traditional’ gender equality strategy.