Abstract

Leadership in higher education (HE) is routinely framed within traditional paradigms of authority, experience and institutional allegiance. Yet, for queer academics, leadership does not necessarily arrive through formal promotion or official recognition. Instead, it often emerges though moments of advocacy, resistance and the everyday negotiations of power and identity within academic spaces. While early-career leadership can be a privilege – offering a platform for influence, visibility and professional growth – it can also expose individuals to heightened scrutiny, emotional labour and institutional resistance to those who challenge the status quo (Davies & Neustifter, 2023). Leadership in HE is rarely about stepping confidently into a role designed for you. More often, it is about navigating structures not built with you in mind and carving out legitimacy in spaces that still privilege cis-heteronormative ideas of leadership.