Gender equality in STEMM: the legitimisation of existing inequalities through “resistance talk”

• Date: 30 May 2024
• Pages: 1311-1325
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-09-2023-0291
• Published date: 30 May 2024
• Author: Robyn Barnacle,Denise Cuthbert,Leul Tadesse Sidelil,Nicola Henry,Kay Latham,Ceridwen Spark

Gender equality in STEMM:

the legitimisation of existing

inequalities through

“resistance talk”

Robyn Barnacle, Denise Cuthbert and Leul Tadesse Sidelil

School of Graduate Research, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

Nicola Henry

School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

Kay Latham

STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, and

Ceridwen Spark

School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

Purpose –Despite some recent progress, gender inequality remains a persistent problem in science,

technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) organisations. This article seeks to better

understand resistance to gender equality (GE) in this context with the aim of shedding light on the workplace-

based impediments to equality and unlocking remediation opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach –The article draws on in-depth interviews with 20 STEMM leaders to

examine how they talk about the problem of gender inequality in the organisations they lead. Because

resistance is rarely expressed directly, we adopt an in-depth, granular approach to examining what we call

STEMM leaders’“resistance talk”by decoding expressions of GE resistance that may appear, ostensibly, as

something else.

Findings –We found various ideas, arguments and other discursive practices which function to legitimate or

justify the status quo. These are both described by leaders in relation to what they are dealing with in their own

organisations and expressed themselves. While similar “legitimating discourses”operate in other gender-

segregated workplaces, our findings show how they manifest specifically in STEMM contexts.

Originality/value –Our results provide much-needed granular level evidence of the discursive tactics

deployed to legitimate the status quo and obstruct progress toward GE in STEMM. This extends

understanding of barriers to GE in STEMM and, importantly, highlights where attention might be directed to

both counter resistance and harness potentially changing attitudes to expedite the necessary change required

for GE in STEMM.

Keywords Gender equality, Leadership and change, Oblique resistance, Resistance talk,

STEMM organisations, Women in STEMM

Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction

Resistance to gender equality (GE) initiatives is a recognised response to organisational

change and is considered a significant factor in perpetuating gender inequality (Flood et al.,

2021;Hodgins and O’Connor, 2021). Despite some progress in recent years, gender inequality

remains a persistent problem in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine

(STEMM) organisations, whether academic, industrial or governmental (Casad et al., 2021;

NASEM, 2020).

While the need for STEMM to achieve GE is widely recognised, there remains an urgent

need to better understand the workplace-based impediments to achieving this. This article

Equality,

Diversity and

Inclusion: An

International

Journal

1311

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/2040-7149.htm

Received 1 September 2023

Revised 22 December 2023

1 March 2024

Accepted 18 April 2024

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 43 No. 8, 2024

pp. 1311-1325

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-09-2023-0291