Genderwashing: the myth of equality

Genderwashing is an organizational tool that presents the myth of gender equality in organizations through discourse and text. To critique this organizational myth, this paper contributes a new perspective and theoretical definition for genderwashing. We outline how genderwashing activities are underpinned by economic over ethical motives, which are grounded in a desire to uphold an organization’s reputation, sometimes at the expense of employee well-being. Our presentation of genderwashing is grounded not only in the work of Critical Human Resource Development (CHRD), but also in Dorothy Smith’s concept of ruling relations. These lenses enable us to examine how superficial attempts to address gender inequality within organizations fail to create structural change or disrupt engrained power dynamics. Furthermore, drawing on Sara Ahmed’s work on diversity and institutional silencing, we argue that genderwashing represents an organizational stance that purports to practice equality, even while women and other marginalized individuals experience little or no advancement. In regards to gender inequalities, we focus on how one organizational text, the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) works to reinforce gender inequalities in organizations. We conclude with a call to action for practitioners and scholars offering suggestions for how to move beyond the stultifying practices of organizational genderwashing.