19: Women and Leadership

This chapter takes a big-picture overview of some of theories related to women and leadership. Messages about socially acceptable ways to enact gender begin before birth, accelerate throughout childhood and young adulthood, and are shaped by lessons learned from the media, education, and other systemic forces. Readers are encouraged to challenge patriarchal and misogynistic beliefs about leadership and gender; to not conflate sex and gender; to embrace complexity when it comes to both gender and leadership; and to engage in personal, institutional, and community transformation. This chapter explores the history and context around women and leadership theories, defines these approaches, and concludes with strengths and opportunities.