glass ceiling

Definition

An invisible barrier preventing women and minorities from advancing to senior leadership positions, despite qualifications. A metaphor that's unfortunately more durable than glass.

Example Usage

She hit the glass ceiling at Director level, where the executive team is exclusively men named Michael or Mark.

Origin

Coined in a 1978 speech, popularized by a 1986 Wall Street Journal article

Fun Fact

At current rates of change, it will take 132 years to achieve gender parity in executive leadership positions globally.

Source: Workplace equity and discrimination terminology

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