Forty years later, equal but not so much. Social change, gender and democracy

Abstract

This text outlines an analysis and reflection as a whole about the changes occurred in Spain in the last forty years in relationships and gender identities, in the hegemonic models of femininity and masculinity. Its connection to the development of equality and feminist policies between the tran-sition to democracy and the current society is also analysed in the text. Finally, there is a reflection on the continuations and the unfinished aspects of this process. Geoff Eley has brought attention about the need for a methodology when interpreting contemporary and left-wing history from the gender and feminist perspective. And moreover, to also be able to interpret the history of democracy and citizenry.The study of gender and relationship identities and its relation with the historical evolution of the feminine citizenry (or the relationship between citizenry, feminisms, equality and democracy) has become in the past few years in a fundamental subject not only in gender history but also in political, social and cultural history. From this point of view, a critical reflection about the effect of these changes and their limitations is proposed in relation to its significance in political transitions, social movements and collective identities including gender identities.