Ibadan Journal of the Social Sciences
Volume 20, No. 1, 2022
DOI: 10.36108/ijss/2202.02.0110

Professors as Transmitters of Sexist Attitudes: Gender and Discursive Practices in Academe
Retta E. Akingbade ¹ and I. Bola Udegbe ²

¹Department of Psychology, Lead City University Ibadan, Nigeria
²Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

This study explored female and male academics’ sexist attitudes and discursive practices; narratives that subtly subordinate women. Using questionnaires, data was collected from 102 academics from an institution with a gender policy and another institution without. Results showed that there are still high levels of sexism in both types of institutions. Males exhibited more hostile and ambivalent sexism although their benevolent sexist attitudes were comparable to the females. Similarly, male academics were found to endorse more inequitable discursive practices and a tendency to use language that subordinates female academics. There was very low knowledge of gender appropriate language in both institution types. Overall, hostile and ambivalent sexism levels were comparable in both types of institutions with higher levels of benevolent sexism more prevalent in the institution without a gender policy. The findings suggest that despite efforts at achieving gender equity, sexist attitudes still prevail; it further suggests that women prefer patronizing attitudes to outright hostility. It is suggested that the rhetoric needs to change and the conversation on gender needs to be modified to foster a more equitable rather than patronizing narrative

 

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