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Sexisms and Gender-Washing in Australian Academia: Public Front, Private Realities

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Title: Sexisms and Gender-Washing in Australian Academia: Public Front, Private Realities
Language: English
Authors: Jacqueline Ullman (ORCID 0000-0002-6999-423X), Emily Gray (ORCID 0000-0003-0142-3059), Mindy Blaise (ORCID 0000-0003-2476-9407), Lucy Hobby
Source: Higher Education Research and Development. 2026 45(4):1133-1148.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Gender Bias, Public Colleges, College Faculty, Teacher Attitudes, Work Environment, Equal Opportunities (Jobs), Barriers, Teacher Promotion, Foreign Countries, Women Faculty, Minority Group Teachers, LGBTQ People, Diversity (Faculty)
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2580619
ISSN: 0729-4360
1469-8366
Abstract: This paper offers an analysis of selected survey findings from a mixed methods research project, entitled "Understanding and Addressing Everyday Sexisms in Australian Universities." The project is situated within the context of the negative impact of gender-based discrimination upon the higher education sector in Australia and internationally. The findings discussed in this paper relate to quantitative analyses of selected items from a national survey of over 1200 Australian academics, recruited through 12 public universities. In this paper, the ways in which different participant groups responded to items designed to explore their attitudes towards sexism in the academic workplace, both broadly and with respect to specific incidents of 'everyday sexisms' are discussed. Results demonstrate that, despite university-wide policies and processes which seek to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion, women and gender diverse academics view gender-based discrimination as an enduring barrier to career progression. Further, men academics are less likely to recognise this or to find everyday sexisms intelligible. The paper argues that universities' failure to recognise or acknowledge everyday sexisms is a form of gender-washing that occurs at the systemic and interpersonal levels, enabling recognition of only the most obvious instances of gender-based oppression: sexual harassment and assault.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504144
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Sexisms and Gender-Washing in Australian Academia: Public Front, Private Realities
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jacqueline+Ullman%22">Jacqueline Ullman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6999-423X">0000-0002-6999-423X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emily+Gray%22">Emily Gray</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0142-3059">0000-0003-0142-3059</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mindy+Blaise%22">Mindy Blaise</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2476-9407">0000-0003-2476-9407</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucy+Hobby%22">Lucy Hobby</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education+Research+and+Development%22"><i>Higher Education Research and Development</i></searchLink>. 2026 45(4):1133-1148.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 16
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Bias%22">Gender Bias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Colleges%22">Public Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work+Environment%22">Work Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Opportunities+%28Jobs%29%22">Equal Opportunities (Jobs)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Promotion%22">Teacher Promotion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Women+Faculty%22">Women Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+Group+Teachers%22">Minority Group Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22LGBTQ+People%22">LGBTQ People</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diversity+%28Faculty%29%22">Diversity (Faculty)</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2580619
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  Data: 0729-4360<br />1469-8366
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This paper offers an analysis of selected survey findings from a mixed methods research project, entitled "Understanding and Addressing Everyday Sexisms in Australian Universities." The project is situated within the context of the negative impact of gender-based discrimination upon the higher education sector in Australia and internationally. The findings discussed in this paper relate to quantitative analyses of selected items from a national survey of over 1200 Australian academics, recruited through 12 public universities. In this paper, the ways in which different participant groups responded to items designed to explore their attitudes towards sexism in the academic workplace, both broadly and with respect to specific incidents of 'everyday sexisms' are discussed. Results demonstrate that, despite university-wide policies and processes which seek to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion, women and gender diverse academics view gender-based discrimination as an enduring barrier to career progression. Further, men academics are less likely to recognise this or to find everyday sexisms intelligible. The paper argues that universities' failure to recognise or acknowledge everyday sexisms is a form of gender-washing that occurs at the systemic and interpersonal levels, enabling recognition of only the most obvious instances of gender-based oppression: sexual harassment and assault.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1504144
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        Value: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2580619
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 1133
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Gender Bias
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Work Environment
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      – SubjectFull: Equal Opportunities (Jobs)
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Promotion
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Women Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minority Group Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: LGBTQ People
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      – SubjectFull: Diversity (Faculty)
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      – SubjectFull: Australia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Sexisms and Gender-Washing in Australian Academia: Public Front, Private Realities
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