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Gender Equality & Gender Equity Past and Present in Theological Institutions

Explore the representation growth of women leaders in theological institutions from 2009 to 2018, challenges faced, factors hindering advancement, and ways to address these issues for gender balance in leadership. Discussion on experiences and strategies for inclusivity.

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Gender Equality & Gender Equity Past and Present in Theological Institutions

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  1. Gender Equality & Gender EquityPast and Present in Theological Institutions Deborah H.C. Gin ISAAC Gender Summit 2 February 17-18, 2019

  2. Representation Growth in Women Leaders at ATS Schools, 2009 to 2018 24% Faculty 35% Students 21% PhD 39% MDiv 56% MA Prof Source: ATS/COA Database

  3. Representation Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  4. Representation Growth in R/E Women Leaders at ATS Schools, 2009 to 2018 Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  5. Challenges • Expectations of women’s leadership • I am expected to lead like a man. • When I lead like a man, I am criticized for not being feminine enough. • I am expected to lead in a more caring/nurturing way than the way male colleagues lead. • I speak up in meetings as often as male colleagues. • My ideas are heard in meetings. • Male colleagues regularly take credit for my ideas. • I am perceived as too emotional. • I have been asked to do administrative tasks (or hospitality tasks) that male colleagues of the same rank would not be expected to do. • People expect me to be more collaborative than male colleagues. • People take my decisions more personally than they do for male colleagues’ decisions. Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  6. Challenges Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  7. X2 =26.219, df = 15 Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  8. Challenges I decided to redesign the program so we’ll be value centered…. It was a little different for the faculty who are primarily male. I kinda had to think about my previous career…and I had to develop presentations in such a way that the faculty could see exactly what I was doing. I had to translate it in such a way to make [it] seem as though I was merely answering questions that they had asked before. (Mid-level Leader of Color, emphasis added) Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  9. Challenges Factors Preventing Women from Advancing Work-life balance Reluctance to relocate Starting late professionally Lack of confidence Lack of executive sponsor Limited social network and connections Confessional constraints Lack of women role models Prioritizing spouse’s/partner’s professional advancement Norms that don’t value women’s leading Impenetrable “boy’s club” of leadership Lack of critical mass of women in organizations Microaggressions Lack of awareness of how sexism operates Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  10. Challenges We need to stop creating a culture, especially in theological education, where women have to continually prove themselves in order to be seen as valid. (Senior Leader of Color, emphasis added) Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  11. Addressing Challenges Organizational Policies & Practices to Advance Women Gender balance/parity is mandated Colleagues are composed of more than 1/3 women Board is composed of more than 1/3 women Offers flexible work arrangements Intentionally recruits diverse employees Has an inclusive-language policy for references to human beings Has an inclusive-language policy for references to God Has a parental-leave policy Allows employees to bring children to work Provides childcare Has a mentoring system that facilitates women’s professional development Photo by Neil Thomas on Unsplash Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  12. Select Summary of Findings • Slow growth of women’s representation in upper-level leadership • Challenges: • Expectations of women in leadership—hospitality tasks, more caring/nurturing • Women of color in leadership—Asian, Latina • Preventing factors—lack of valuing women’s leadership, “boys’ club”, lack of awareness of sexism • Addressing Challenges: • Gender parity/balance • Colleagues & Board = more than 1/3 women • Flexible work arrangements Source: ATS Women in Leadership Research Project, 2017

  13. For Discussion • What are your experiences—in church/denominational contexts or in academic context? Do these findings resonate with your experiences? • In what ways might male allies contribute in addressing these challenges? • What meaning can be drawn from the finding that Asian women and Latinas were far more likely than Black or White women to report being criticized for not being “feminine enough” in their leadership? In what ways might this relate to unequal pulpits?

  14. Gender Equality & Gender EquityPast and Present in Theological Institutions Deborah H.C. Gin ISAAC Gender Summit 2 February 17-18, 2019

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