“I’m going to be Australia’s first female Prime Minister.” It was once a popular catchphrase among ambitious girls
New research has found the way we treated the woman who earned that prestigious title has polarised many women’s views about entering politics.
The University of Sydney’s School of Psychology study found a vast discrepancy between women who conform to more traditional gender roles versus those who don’t, based on the way Julia Gillard was treated when in power.
The study’s author, Dr Christopher Hunt, found Gillard’s experience, which she herself labelled misogynistic, had turned females who hold more traditional views about a woman’s role in society off politics.
“However for women who rate themselves as non-conformists in regards to gender values, being reminded of Gillard’s difficulties motivated them to go into politics (and) she appears to be a role model for this group.”
The discrepancies were not related to the women’s belief in their ability to lead, more how they would be perceived if placed in the political spotlight.
“So the changes seem to be driven by thinking about how others will react to them, about the possibility of a backlash,” Dr Hunt wrote.
The study of 167 Australian undergraduates also took into account how men reacted to gender-based difficulties in politics.
Men who were drawn to more traditional roles found greater belief in their ability to lead after reading about Gillard’s experiences with sexism, while men who held less traditional views about masculinity and leadership felt the opposite.
“This suggests that Gillard’s example provoked a defensive reporting of leadership capability, consistent with research showing that women who succeed in traditionally male domains are often perceived to be threatening,” said Dr Hunt.
The study also cited research proving how important it is for strong female role models, with more women entering politics in countries where there is far greater female representation.
“Our research suggests such role model influence changes according to women’s other beliefs and values.”
Dr Hunt and his team now plan to extend their research to see if their findings are specific solely to politics.
“It would be interesting to apply this research to the business community where research has suggested gender roles are even more strictly enforced than in politics.”
There’s a scary thought. Isn’t it a shame that in 2015 the fear of backlash is putting young women off certain career paths even before they finish university?
Would you consider a career in politics? Did Julia Gillard’s experience encourage you one way or the other?