Why Men Still Get the Best Jobs In Female-Dominated Fields
You know all about the glass ceiling, but have you heard about the glass elevator?
Brace yourself, it’s going to piss you off.
Basically, it’s the phenomenon where men still manage to get the majority of top jobs in female-dominated fields like teaching, nursing, and social work.
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Broadly highlighted this eyeroll-inducing practice in a recent piece, which explains exactly how and why men still manage to get all the promotions and pay raises in a field dominated by women.
Here’s a hint: it has to do with gender stereotypes.
University of Texas sociologist Christine Williams, who has done several studies on this phenomenon, says men can easily advance because they’re assumed to be naturally smarter and better leaders — even if they’re not.
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Another drawback is the fact that most tasks that you’d need to take time off for — i.e. taking care of a new baby or an aging relative — are traditionally women’s tasks. So, even if a male nurse is great with kids, he’s probably still going to make his wife take care of their new baby. Or, even if he’s not, HR assumes he is, so they are more likely to promote him.
Whereas women working in traditionally male fields have to work extra hard to prove themselves, not to mention dodge casual sexual harassment on the reg, guys somehow manage to benefit when roles are reversed.
So basically, the reason you’re not getting promoted and some bro who just got hired is might have nothing to do with the work you both put out, it’s simply an HR person falling back on gender stereotypes.
Remind us again why women keep marching?
