The Glass Ceiling Still Exists

 

    A family friend of the couple I used to babysit for noticed I was carrying an Elizabeth Warren tote and dared to say 

“Why do you support her? A woman could never beat Trump.” 

I looked him dead in the eyes and said, “Is it because of her policies or because she is a woman?” and his response made me want to cry. 

“The latter, she’s a woman” he responded. 

    The kids I was watching ran into the room and swept me away to color and read with them, but my mind stayed in that room. I kept thinking about his answer,  “because she is a woman.” 

    Because she is a woman, she is not likable enough to win? Because she is a woman, she could not handle being president? He did not doubt her because of what she believed or her education, or her personality, or anything she had control over. He questions her because of something that she had no say in. She is a cis-gender woman, and that was her weakness, according to this man.  

    It is 2020, the year we have elected the first female vice-president. It took over 200 years to pick a woman vice president. I often ask myself how much longer until we elect a female president? Who does we as a society blame for this? The woman for not being good enough to be selected? The men who beat out women contenders year after year? The answer is neither. Many seem to blame the “glass ceiling” for these undeniable gaps in leadership positions, whether it is politics, business, or the medical field. The glass ceiling has been a blanket term to explain how women, especially women of color, have historically not been able to gain advanced leadership roles. Since the phrase became popularized in the 1980s, there have been countless arguments for and against its existence.

Those who oppose the existence of the “glass ceiling” claim it is not a valid reason for the lack of women in many industry leadership positions. These opposers believe that historical waves of feminism have already achieved gender equality, and the lack of women in these positions is due to the choices women make in their lifestyles. These choices include the jobs females tend to take and keeps them off of the executive route (teachers, nurses, etc). Some women want to commit more time to their families, whether this is a personal choice or societal pressure. A 2018 Forbes Article titled “Six Hard Truths For Women Regarding The Glass Ceiling” gives a more in-depth explanation for these two arguments and four others. This argument does not take into account the women who are willing to dedicate all their time and energy to their careers and does not answer the question, why are these women not reaching leadership positions?  Why should women have to choose between being a leader in their career or having a family? Most CEOs that are men have a wife and kids, yet they have had the time and energy to become CEO. Society still enforces gender roles and views a rigorous work schedule as a token for men, but assumes that it is too much for a woman to handle.

On the other hand, the statistic shows that women have yet to reach equal representation in many industries. Early Childhood Education is an industry where women dominate. According to USA Today, 76% of the nation’s educators are women, yet 12% of the superintendents are female. The same gap shows in the medical field. Statistics show that 91% of nurses are female, but women only make up nearly 40% of the nation's doctors. Even in female-dominated professions, men still hold most of the leadership positions. Can we blame history? Throughout history, women had much more limited options for career paths due to misogyny, gender roles, and lack of universal childcare, influencing the generations that followed. Do we blame men? While some men have played large roles historically in the suppression of women, it would be hypocritical and wrong to blame the entire male population. What do we blame? That is a tricky question that I leave for you to answer. 

There are many ways both men and women can play a role in the shattering of that glass ceiling. For example, voting for more women you feel adequately fulfill the position into political office, attending women-centered rights rallies and events, and standing up and speaking out about the lack of women representation in leadership are just three ways to make a difference.