Cara Hoover

Factors of the Glass Ceiling

Im sorry, I cant hear you over this glass-ceiling shattering.

Picture a job interview coming up for the new manager spot in

your company. You are prepared and well qualified for this interview
and overall job. Your rsum exceeds the requirements and your
attitude is just what the staff needs. Theres only one issue: Yes, youre
a woman. The interview has past and the employer has informed you
that youre not right for the job. Not exactly because someone is more
qualified but because there could possibly be a man added to the
equation. Women overtime have faced the many struggles of gaining
equality and the struggle clearly isnt over. Women have lacked
equality in many departments including the workplace. Women all over
the world face these struggles due to roles expected of them. In the
workplace, women who are more than qualified have suffered from not
receiving the proper promotions they deserve. This is where the
infamous

glass

ceiling

came

from.

The

glass

ceiling

is

an

unacknowledged barrier that keeps women and minorities from

advancing in a profession. The glass ceiling represents the existing
gender inequalities that are experienced in the workplace.

There are many factors that can contribute to the reasoning of

women inferiority rather than men superiority in the work place and
overall;

and

these

factors

extend

from

countries

and

culture

Stereotypes and slander against women taking initiative hold women

back

under

the

glass

ceiling,

as

well

as

expectations

and

responsibilities within their living conditions do. Specifically, the fact

that women are expected to be house wives having to take care of the
family and their house in respect to their responsibilities. You can also
consider the financial issues men or women may face that affect their
chances of getting an education and ultimately taking a respectable
position within a company.
Starting with the first factor, Im going to look through the stereotypes and
uncover the issues that build up to them. When thinking of the difference between males
and females, we think of their sex, which are biological characteristics that distinguish
males and females. There are primary characteristics that consist of having any organs
relating to reproduction. Secondary sex characteristics are the physical distinctions
between males and females, which are not directly related to reproduction. This could be,
for example, males having deeper voices, development of more muscle or body hair. The
difference between sex and gender is that gender is a social, not biological characteristic.
Gender consists of the behaviors and attitudes a group considers proper for its males and
females. Gender varies depending on the society. Sex refers to male or female while
gender refers to masculinity or femininity. In India, some women have heavy labor,
which contrasts with the expectations according to gender (Effects of Glass Ceiling,

Chamaru). It is acknowledged that biological aspects are involved in some human

behavior other than reproduction and childbearing. A feminist sociologist suggests that
women are prepared biologically for mothering than men because they are more sensitive
to the infants skin and to their nonverbal communications (Essentials of Sociology, 295).
Nature provides biological tendencies layered with culture. This ultimately makes men
believe that women cant handle a big position in the workplace because a womans
emotions will get in the way. This is a common stereotype among women that men
believe a womans decisions will not be ethical or logical, assuming that all women are
overly emotional.
Digging even deeper the hidden development of the glass ceiling, its affected by
patriarchy in a historical sense. Patriarchy is a male dominating society. The theory of the
origin points to social consequences of human reproduction. Consequently, women
assumed tasks that were associated with the home and child care, while men took over
the hunting and other tasks that required both greater speed and longer absences from the
base camp; for example, chasing large animals. This results in male dominance and
independence forcing the women to depend on man. This was an early form of a mans
ego. Tasks like leaving camp to hunt animals, trading and waging, and creating
instruments of death lead to men leading society. Their sources of power were their
weapons, items of trade, and the knowledge they gained from contact with other groups
(Gender and the Division of Labor, Owen). Therefore, women became second-class
citizens. The answer to this theory lies in the history meaning there is no way to test it.
Men came to think of themselves dominant over women.

Taken from the Pantene commercial, men are bosses, persuasive,

and dedicated. A woman on staff is considered bossy, pushy, selfish,
and a bitch. A man and woman could react the same way to a situation
in the office, yet their reactions would be taken differently. Regardless
of how a man feels the system operates, a man couldnt possibly
understand because theyve never been in a womans shoes. The
movie, The Heat, includes a scene where Julia Roberts, a detective, is
in the middle of cracking a case when one of the guys on the squad
tells her theres nothing to find. She smooth talks her way around the
room and find drugs and guns in hidden spots around the room. She
glances back at the squad as they stood there in awe. The boss later
tells her that she isnt right for the promotion because the team thinks
shes showy and egotistic. If it were a man in her place, they would
more than likely give this man the upmost respect. The boss wouldnt
think twice about giving him the promotion. These An article
mentioned that the reason for overlooking women comes from the idea
that a boss would want to hire someone who is as similar to him as
possible; even if that means setting the aside the more qualified
woman (The Glass Ceiling, FMF).
Looking into more relevant factors, the glass ceiling is influenced
by a day in the life of a man or woman. A study in Sri Lanka gathered
research that determined the factors that lead to the glass ceiling. In
Sri Lanka the population is 16,861,526. Out of that 16 million,

7,706,593 people are employed. The study gathered reasons that

include being engaged in housework, studies, retiring from old age,
physically ill, and other (Effects of Glass Ceiling, Chamaru). The ratios
werent entirely shocking considering that the men were less tied up in
housework but were more tied up in studies; whereas, women were in
a vice versa situation. More men were retired than women and more
men were physically disabled. It seemed that more men were doing
things with their lives than women considering they were the ones at
home.
This overall affects the outcome of women even touching the
glass ceiling compared to the US where its in the process of being
shattered. Some cultures in different areas dont have the luxury of
expressing views on gender/sex supremacy, similar to my previous
example in Sri Lanka (Effects of Glass Ceiling, Chamaru).
Work Cited
Aguilar, Luis A. "Merely Cracking the Glass Ceiling Is Not Enough: Corporate America
Needs More than Just A Few Women in Leadership." SEC.gov. N.p., n.d. Web.
Bombuwela, P. M., and A. Chamaru De Alwis. "Effects of Glass Ceiling on Women
Career Development in Private Sector Organizations Case of Sri
Lanka." Journal of Competitiveness 5.2 (2013): 3-19. Web.
Criado, Elisa. "Gender Stereotypes Pose Mental Health Threat to Female Bosses." The
Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 25 Nov. 2014. Web.

Owen, Linda R. Distorting the Past: Gender and the Division of Labor in the European
Upper Paleolithic. Tubingen: Kerns Verlag, 2005. Web.

"Sex and Gender." Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, 11th Edition. N.p.: Pearson,
n.d. 295. Print.
Staff Writers. "The Glass Ceiling." The Glass Ceiling. Feminist Majority Foundation, n.d.
Web.