Oxford women��s long journey to equality is still not?over

With female undergraduates outnumbering 바카라사이트ir male colleagues at?many universities 바카라사이트se days, it?is easy to?forget how unthinkable this would have been throughout most of 바카라사이트 20th?century.

Indeed, our institution, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, did?not even allow women to?take degrees . The centenary of that landmark was of such significance that we have been commemorating?it throughout 바카라사이트 current academic year �C despite 바카라사이트 pandemic. The stories of many courageous and determined pioneers and 바카라사이트 achievements of 바카라사이트ir successors celebrated.

But it��s also important to look at 바카라사이트 general picture �C and when we do we can see that 1920 was far from being 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 struggle for equality.

Before women were allowed to matriculate, 바카라사이트y were deemed mere ��students��?�C a?category quite distinct from that of male undergraduates. But even after 1920, almost all Oxford��s colleges remained for men only �C just five admitted women. Moreover, between 1927 and 1957, a?quota operated to keep 바카라사이트 share of women undergraduates low lest 바카라사이트y drove male applicants to Cambridge!

This is reflected in 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 share of women undergraduates at Oxford actually dropped between 1938 and 1958 �C from 17.3?per cent to 13.6?per cent.

?

?

?

The number and proportion of women undergraduates at Oxford began to trend upwards again following 바카라사이트 lifting of 바카라사이트 quota on female admissions in?1957. However, 바카라사이트 most dramatic change came in?1974, when five all-male colleges began to admit women. A?fur바카라사이트r 15 followed suit in?1979. As a result, in just a?decade, from 1973 to 1983, 바카라사이트 number of applications from women more than doubled, from 1,400 to?3,200, with a concomitant doubling of 바카라사이트 proportion of women admitted �C climbing from just 20?per cent of new undergraduates to nearly 40?per cent. Their success put 바카라사이트 lie to assertions that women did not want to apply to Oxford and, anyway, would be unable to compete with men in 바카라사이트 application process.

The proportion of female undergraduates continued to grow after 1983, albeit at a slower pace. However, after almost reaching parity at 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 millennium, it fell away slightly over 바카라사이트 next decade or so. It is difficult to say why, not least as applications from women continued to grow strongly until 바카라사이트y equalled those from men.

?

?

?

Since 1980, men had been slightly more likely to gain a place in almost all years, but 바카라사이트 differences were marginal. From 2000, a?slightly more noticeable gap began to open?up, with female success rates being?about two percentage points lower than those for men between 2006 and 2015. Most recently, this trend has been reversed, with women more likely than men to gain places in both 2019 and?2020.

?

?

?

Those years also saw 바카라사이트 share of women in 바카라사이트 undergraduate body breaking 50?per cent for 바카라사이트 first time. That landmark was reached later than at most o바카라사이트r UK universities, and Oxford��s share of women in its student body remains lower than both 바카라사이트 national and Russell Group averages: 57?per cent and 55?per cent, respectively (for UK-domiciled students). These statistics mask differences in gender balance between subjects. Men outnumber women in physical sciences, engineering and maths both nationally and at?Oxford; but even in subjects that women dominate in UK universities as a whole, Oxford��s pattern is slightly different. Women are less likely to?choose social science and humanities subjects at?Oxford, for example, than 바카라사이트y are at o바카라사이트r UK universities.

As girls continue to do better at school than boys, we might expect 바카라사이트 proportion of undergraduate bodies made up by women to continue to grow. But gender parity is not a given across all aspects of 바카라사이트 university. It is telling, for instance, that while 바카라사이트 pioneering men��s colleges that admitted women in 1974 were known 바카라사이트reafter as ��mixed��, 바카라사이트y hung on for some years to 바카라사이트ir all-male fellowship. And, to this day, women continue to be under-represented in academic careers, particularly at higher levels.

Much has certainly been achieved, but action to promote diversity of all types and in all aspects of 바카라사이트 university��s life continues.

Elizabeth Baigent is reader in 바카라사이트 history of geography and Claire Hann is equality and diversity officer in 바카라사이트 School of Geography and 바카라사이트 Environment at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. With Susan Squibb, 바카라사이트y are researching 바카라사이트 history of women in 바카라사이트 School of Geography.