This Special Issue on sexism in academic promotions attracted submissions from unsilent women whose professional titles either do not reflect their true professional wisdom or were awarded far too late. Academia must stop hurtling at its toxic pace, and really ask itself what it is doing to its people and in the name of what.

I’m full of self-delusion as much as the next person, so I have to be careful when I make such an accusation. I hope I can be as open to someone helping me as I wish university executives were open to mine.

First there was rest. Then there was grief and loss. Now there is joy to liberation. The pandemic made me take a voluntary redundancy. How grateful I am.

Imagine thinking you'll just stop in the middle of your lecture to throw up a few times if you need to and then carry on. This is the toxicity of academia.

Do you feel valued, supported, recognised, respected, heard, and remunerated? If no, maybe keep a time diary.

Has it always been there or am I just tuning in?! Leaders who serve their employees quietly bear a load so big it could easily be missed, overlooked, or not seen. They need a lot of celebratory noise made about them.

Advice to women (and men) academics, out of the mouth of self-aware privilege: “Be lucky and work till you are ill and alienate your family” … Yup.

Covid-19 is a re-set for who we are. What is your purpose?

Scary I know. But necessary.