Research in different national contexts continues to show that academic women still experience job insecurity, intensifications in the demands of teaching and service, expectations that they will undertake substantial emotional labour, reduced opportunities for (and recognition of) research, regular and damaging experiences of everyday sexism, and both direct and indirect discrimination (Probert, 2005; Hamilton et al., 2022; Winchester & Browning, 2015). Challenging the persistence of these norms has proven to be extremely difficult. The constant evolution of gendered beliefs and a sense that gender issues have been addressed for many decades makes it difficult for researchers seeking a clear picture of women's current experiences to rely on simple measures of gender equity (such as the whole of organisation surveys) when trying to understand both the current lived realities of women in universities and the needs of today's women.