Confronting hostile and benevolent sexism in local politics: Experimental evidence from a survey of local councilors in Poland

Like other male-dominated fields, politics is not free from sexism. While most research has focused on voters’ sexist attitudes, little is known about how elected representatives themselves, as bystanders, perceive, and respond to sexism within political institutions. This study examines the likelihood that local councilors will identify and confront publicly hostile and benevolent sexist remarks during legislative sessions. Drawing on psychological research, we analytically distinguish between the recognition of sexist behavior and the willingness to intervene. Using a split-ballot experiment on a nationally representative sample of Polish local councilors (N = 669), we find that hostile sexism is relatively easy to recognize and challenge, whereas benevolent sexism often remains overlooked and unaddressed. Responses are moderated by councilors’ gender, age (but not tenure in office), and Right-Wing Authoritarianism. We therefore urge attention not only to overt hostility toward women but also to the subtle costs of benevolent sexism, which may contribute to the exclusion of women from deliberative bodies.