The Contribution of Male Allyship to the Struggle for Gender Equity in the Workplace: A Study in Experimental Sociology

Abstract

While the legal grounds for workplace discrimination in Canada and many other Western capitalist nations have been eliminated, there is still substantial evidence of gender inequality in many workplaces. Whether conscious or unconscious, practices in work settings often create unwelcoming or exclusionary environments for women. This thesis examines the impact of male allyship as a means to mitigate sexism and motivate others to respond to instances of gender bias in the workplace. Specifically, it seeks to determine if acts of allyship by a male colleague of female employees influence the behaviour of other male colleagues in a work setting. Using a vignette study, participants were asked to imagine starting at a new workplace where they were required to attend an orientation. During the orientation, an existing employee told a story about why they enjoyed working at the company. The gender and extent to which the existing employee shared a story involving an act of allyship against sexism were manipulated. Participants were then asked to imagine being employed at the company for several months. Participants were then exposed to an instance of gender bias and were asked how they would respond. It was hypothesized that participants who were exposed to a male employee who demonstrated an act of allyship against sexism would be more likely to report that they would be comfortable responding to an instance of sexism in an active or confrontational manner. It was also hypothesized that this trend would be most evident amongst male participants. Statistical analysis found participants exposed to a prior instance of allyship during the orientation were significantly more likely to think it was effective to confront a perpetrator of sexist comments (Brandon). On a more negative note, this research additionally revealed that male participants who were not exposed to an instance of allyship during the orientation were significantly more likely to support a perpetrator of sexist comments (Brandon). Several other significant findings involving levels of sexism and personality traits were also found. Implications for these findings are discussed.