ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Gender Disparity and LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Art World

opinion-review · 2026-04-27

The article addresses the issues of gender disparity and the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals within the art sector. It references the Guerrilla Girls' 1989 billboard that highlighted the underrepresentation of women at the Met Museum, where female modern artists constitute less than 5%. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2022, the worldwide gender gap is 68.1% closed, with full equality projected to take 132 years. Iceland leads in gender parity, while Italy is ranked 63rd. In 2021, Italy's Ministry of Culture launched the Observatory on Gender Parity. A study by ISTAT from 2020-2021 revealed that 26% of LGBTQIA+ individuals experienced workplace discrimination. Additionally, in 2022, Turin's city council approved a motion for the first Museum of Homosexuality, initiated by the Fondazione Sandro Penna – Fuori!.

Key facts

  • Guerrilla Girls' 1989 billboard: less than 5% of artists in modern art sections are women, 85% of nudes are female.
  • Global Gender Gap Report 2022: global gender gap closed 68.1%, 132 years to full parity.
  • Italy ranks 63rd globally, 25th in Europe for gender parity.
  • Italy's Ministry of Culture Observatory on Gender Parity established in 2021, first report in 2022.
  • ISTAT 2020-2021: 26% of LGBT+ in civil unions faced disadvantage; 12.6% avoided job applications.
  • British Museum's LGBTQ histories trail includes Ganymede, Hadrian and Antinous, Ishtar, Roman wine cup.
  • Turin's Museum of Homosexuality approved in 2022, proposed by Fondazione Sandro Penna – Fuori!.
  • Turin is candidate for EuroPride 2027.

Entities

Artists

  • Guerrilla Girls
  • Keith Haring
  • David Hockney
  • Robert Mapplethorpe
  • Gilbert & George
  • Catherine Opie
  • Linda Nochlin
  • Carmen Leccardi
  • Renée Adams
  • Roman Kräussl
  • Marco Navone
  • Patrick Verwijmeren
  • Angelo Pezzana
  • Desirée Maida

Institutions

  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Public Art Fund
  • World Economic Forum
  • European Commission
  • Ministero della Cultura (Italy)
  • Observatoire de l'égalité entre femmes et hommes dans la culture et la communication (France)
  • ICOM – International Council of Museums
  • Parliament of the European Union
  • World Health Organization
  • ISTAT
  • Parks – Liberi e Uguali
  • Victoria and Albert Museum
  • British Museum
  • Fondazione Sandro Penna – Fuori!
  • Polo del '900
  • Museo della Resistenza e dei Diritti
  • Artribune

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Prague
  • Czech Republic
  • Iceland
  • Finland
  • Norway
  • New Zealand
  • Sweden
  • Rwanda
  • Nicaragua
  • Namibia
  • Ireland
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Hungary
  • Poland
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • England
  • Wales
  • Turin

Sources