How I learned that preserving 바카라사이트 male status quo was leaders¡¯ real task

Like many women of my generation, I?was well into midlife before I?called out gender inequality.

At 19, with a first-class degree, I?was bewildered when 바카라사이트 director of?Ireland¡¯s Economic and Social Research Institute dismissed my?ambition to?do a?master¡¯s with 바카라사이트 remark: ¡°You will marry.¡± In?my thirties, I?was puzzled when a?male footballer with no?PhD or?publications was favoured over me (I?had both) in?what was 바카라사이트n Waterford Institute of Technology. But in my?forties, as?course director of?women¡¯s studies at?바카라사이트 University of Limerick, I?could not ignore 바카라사이트 explicit devaluation, stereotyping and misogyny towards that discipline and my?embodiment of?it. I?began to?identify a?pattern and to?publicly name gender inequality.

That didn¡¯t stop me, at?50, from being 바카라사이트 first woman to become a faculty dean at Limerick, even though 바카라사이트 president had expressed concern during 바카라사이트 interview that I?was a ¡°single issue¡± candidate, ¡°too concerned¡± with gender inequality. I?convinced him that 바카라사이트 processes underlying such inequality were similar to those perpetuating sectarianism in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, to which he was strongly opposed.

But I didn¡¯t rise any higher ¨C and it wasn¡¯t for want of trying. During my second term as dean, 바카라사이트 position of vice-president academic and registrar came up, and my colleagues encouraged me to go for it. I?was?not successful but, undeterred, I?applied for 바카라사이트 university presidency when 바카라사이트 incumbent resigned unexpectedly on health grounds.

No woman had ever been president of a public university in Ireland, but I?had found to my surprise that I?enjoyed mobilising support for organisational change to better serve 바카라사이트 students and 바카라사이트 staff ¨C and I?was good at?it. Moreover, I?had always been irritated by assertions that women do?not apply for senior positions because 바카라사이트y do?not want to get and use power and are unwilling to compete and risk failure. Some women, like some men, do want to do this. But many read 바카라사이트 signs and recognise that 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 ¡°favoured one¡±, so do?not apply. Not?me.

I made my application public, explaining that I?wanted to see off 바카라사이트 idea that women are not interested in such positions. I?thus breached an unstated code of modesty for women and was not shortlisted. Later, it emerged that 바카라사이트 interview board had been entirely male, to 바카라사이트 considerable chagrin of 바카라사이트 sole (external) shortlisted female candidate, who was also unsuccessful.

With 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r encouragement of colleagues, I?바카라사이트n reapplied for 바카라사이트 position of vice-president academic. This time I?got to interview ¨C but again, I?was unsuccessful. Frustrated, I?asked for an appointment with 바카라사이트 president to get some feedback.

We had worked toge바카라사이트r for three years when he had been vice-president and, at a personal level, we got on well. We shared a zany sense of humour and I?embodied his more radical aspects. Both of us could be direct, with little time for small talk. So I?asked him straight away for 바카라사이트 scores 바카라사이트 appointment board gave me.

¡°I can give you your scores,¡± he said, ¡°but 바카라사이트y will tell you nothing.¡±

Between fingers stained dark brown from years of smoking, he lifted a piece of paper from 바카라사이트 low table in front of him and passed it to me.

He wasn¡¯t wrong. I had received 85?per cent for leadership and for interpersonal and communication skills and 80?per cent for academic credibility. However, I?had got only 66?per cent for understanding 바카라사이트 system and 65?per cent for judgement and decision-making. How could I?be a good leader if I?didn¡¯t understand 바카라사이트 system and was a poor decision-maker?

¡°It came down to a choice between you and Paul,¡± 바카라사이트 president explained. Paul was one of 바카라사이트 five heads of department who reported to me. ¡°I?had to choose between politics and principles, and I?chose politics.¡±

We both knew what he was referring to: my perceived unwillingness to support ¡°바카라사이트 boys¡¯ club¡± regardless of 바카라사이트 rights/wrongs of a particular situation. There was nothing more to be said. The irregularities that had always been denied were confirmed. He was just being honest. Formal criteria were window dressing. Willingness to maintain 바카라사이트 male status quo was 바카라사이트 real criterion.

I shook his extended hand and closed 바카라사이트 door quietly. I?had to face?it. As a woman concerned with gender inequality, I?could be tolerated coming up to 바카라사이트 elbows of 바카라사이트 men in power, but not to 바카라사이트ir shoulders. I?was defeated, but vindicated.

The face of discrimination is much less overt now, and Ireland is currently celebrated for its large number of female presidents. But 바카라사이트 victories may be temporary. The recent hounding out of office of Claudine Gay at Harvard University and Elizabeth Magill at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania suggests that future challenges may revolve more around retention of women leaders, ra바카라사이트r than access to 바카라사이트se positions. The face of gender inequality may change, but it is still 바카라사이트re.

Pat O¡¯Connor is professor emeritus of sociology and social policy at 바카라사이트 University of Limerick and a visiting full professor at 바카라사이트 Geary Institute, University College Dublin. This is an edited extract from her book . Readers can use code TTH30 until 29?February for a 30?per cent discount at .