“Sex” versus “Gender” in the Jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court (How the Lack of Feminist Legal Studies in Bulgaria Led to Distortion of the Basic Category of “Gender” in the Legal Discourse?) Cover Image

„Биологичен“ срещу „социален пол“ в практиката на Конституционния съд (Как липсата на феминистки правни изследвания в България доведе до изкривяване на основната категория „пол“ в юридическия дискурс?)
“Sex” versus “Gender” in the Jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court (How the Lack of Feminist Legal Studies in Bulgaria Led to Distortion of the Basic Category of “Gender” in the Legal Discourse?)

Author(s): Deyana Marcheva
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, Court case
Published by: Нов български университет
Keywords: Gender; Sex; The Istanbul Convention; The Constitutional Court; Feminist Legal Studies

Summary/Abstract: The Bulgarian Constitutional Court (CC) finds it necessary to differentiate between the concept “sex” and the concept “gender” in the Istanbul Convention within its preliminary constitutional control. As the second one is fundamental for the convention and the CC sees a problem with it, the CC concludes that the convention is in contradiction with the Bulgarian Constitution. Furthermore, in November 2021 in an interpretation decision the CC states that the under the Constitution the Bulgarian concept relates only to the meaning of “sex”, in its biological meaning. The way in which the CC operates with the terms “sex” and “gender” brings to the fore serious deficits in Bulgarian legal discourse resulting from the total lack of any feminist jurisprudence and the isolation from the contemporary debates on the gender-based inequalities and injustices.

  • Issue Year: 9/2020
  • Issue No: 10
  • Page Range: 264-283
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Bulgarian