The Glass Ceiling and the Wage Gap

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Women face many obstacles as they climb their career’s hierarchy and for many different reasons their wage is comparably less than that of males. After the movements toward equality in the workplace, many think that sex discrimination isn’t present anymore. However, many still believe that the glass ceiling hasn’t shattered and still possesses a barrier for many women in the labor force. The glass ceiling and the wage gap exist for various reasons but, like many other women leaders, women can break the glass and abolish the gap. INTRODUCTION The glass ceiling is defined as the “unseen, yet unbreachable barrier that keeps… women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements.” According to the Department of Labor, the glass ceiling is made up of “artificial barriers [that are] based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organization into management-level positions.” Qualified women are continuously denied a promotion to the highest levels of corporate America and other professions. Once women reach a certain level at their career, they plateau and the glass ceiling prevents them from advancing any higher. The term Glass Ceiling originally appeared on an Adweek interview with Gay Bryant, editor of Family Circle, in 1984. However, she first put the term in paper on her book The Working Woman Report: Succeeding in Business in the 80’s. Women might be able to reach middle management in their company but reaching any higher might seem impossible due to the slow process and vast competition. This is “partly because corporations are structured as pyramids, with many middle managers trying to move up into the few av... ... middle of paper ... ...p/scspi/_media/pdf/key_issues/gender_research.pdf>. Powell, Jesse. "Marriage Is Masculinity and Coverture | Secular Patriarchy." Secular Patriarchy. N.p., 08 Aug. 2013. Web. 05 Mar. 2014. Salmon, Marylynn. "The Legal Status of Women, 1776–1830." The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. Soares, Rachel, Mark Bartkiewicz, and Liz Mulligan-Ferry. "2013 Catalyst Census Fortune 500 Women Executive Officers and Top Earners." Catalyst. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. Soares, Rachel, Mark Bartkiewicz, Liz Mulligan-Ferry, Emily Fendler, and Elijah Wai Chun Kun. "Statistical Overview of Women in the Workplace." Catalyst. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. United States. Cong. Joint Economic Committee. United States Congress Joint Economic Committee. By Carolyn B. Maloney and Charles E. Schumer. 111th Cong. Cong. Rept. 16 Dec. 2010. 03 Mar. 2014.

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