Unambitious women part of Australia's history, says University of NSW study


Pauline Grosjean and Rose Khattar of the University of NSW say it is not Australia’s convict history itself that has made women less likely to rise to the top but the very high ratio of male to female arrivals that accompanied transportation.

In some parts of Australia there was one woman for every eight men among arrivals, they report in their new study, It’s Raining Men! Hallelujah?

The high ratio made women sought after in marriage and able to marry up. The men who won their hands were prepared to work hard enough for two, enabling the women to stay at home.

Their important finding, to be unveiled at a conference in the United States next week, is in regions that had extremely high male to female ratios those attitudes have been passed down.

“Historical gender imbalance still explains 5 to 10 per cent of the variation in the glass ceiling effect,” they conclude.

Women living in those regions are today more likely to agree with the statement: “It is better for everyone involved if the man earns the money and the woman takes care of the home and children.”

They earn less than women in other locations but say they are happier in their relationships.

Pauline Grosjean said while female researchers had been intrigued by her findings some older men had been unsettled.