Addressing Academic Housework: Are Women Complicit?
If you are a woman in academia, you have likely heard of “ academic housework .” It refers to all those tasks—administrative duties, committee work, student advising—that often fall on women while others, particularly male colleagues, seem to get a pass ( inspiration article ). And here is the kicker: we, as women, sometimes perpetuate this system ourselves. Have we internalised a sense of responsibility for these tasks? Are we complicit in doing them because we think no one else will? I am no stranger to this experience. Over the years, I have been called upon to take on multiple academic roles. While I always wanted to contribute meaningfully, balancing the academic housework with my research and career progression wasn't always easy. It took me a long time to realise that saying yes to every request doesn’t always benefit me or my career. The Invisible Labour of Women in Academia Many women, myself included, have internalised expectations from an early age to be accommodating,...