In short:
GIWL Director Professor Michelle Ryan and a global team ask what makes people actually stand up for gender equality? New research reveals the power of message framing—and why genuine allyship matters far more than who delivers it.
Research overview
The study finds that women leaders are more effective at mobilising support for gender equality when their message is framed as a shared cause rather than a “women’s issue,” particularly among men.
Co-author Professor Michelle Ryan explains that men are more willing to take action when they feel included in the narrative, while women remain consistently motivated regardless of how the issue is framed. The research also shows that women leaders gain greater influence when supported by male allies—so long as that allyship is genuine and action‑driven. Tokenistic allyship, however, causes men to disengage from both the leader and the cause.
The report is a collaboration between the University of Newcastle, The Australian National University, the University of Melbourne and the University of Kansas and is part of a project funded by the Australian Research Council.
Contact
Michelle Ryan
Director
Intersectionality & identity, Leadership & the Glass Cliff, Relationships & the care economy, The workplace & working lives
