Breaking the Glass Ceiling: There’s Still Work To Do
Image credit: Brandon Mowinkel via Unsplash
After Kamala Harris was elected US vice president in 2020, mentions of 'breaking the glass ceiling' rose on social media, with the highest volume (40%) coming from the largest female share of voice (61%). Since then, positive sentiment toward gender bias/breaking the glass ceiling has plunged by 56%, and 10% fewer women are contributing to the conversation on social media. And as socio-political messaging becomes more common, audiences are becoming desensitised to important issues.
Because of this dramatic decline, it’s clear that there’s still so much work to be done. There are still too many often-invisible systemic barriers that keep women and underrepresented communities from professional advancement. The World Economic Forum’s 2021 Gender Gap Report estimates that it will take an average of 135.6 years for women and men to reach parity on a range of factors worldwide.
So that’s why May 15th, the 135th day of the year, is being designated the first-ever Break the Glass Ceiling Day by VML and Luminary. The idea for this long-awaited national holiday has been around since the 1970s, and Gay Bryant was the first person to use the term 'glass ceiling' in print with the publication of The Working Woman Report in 1984. Even though there’s been awareness for decades, it’s high time we reignite the conversation and change our approach toward equity - not just for women, but for all underrepresented communities, including multicultural, transgender, and queer communities.
I’m a passionate advocate for helping all women advance other women, be it personally or professionally. My hope is that this new holiday will help to uplift and empower women to break the glass ceilings holding them back in their lives. Now is the time to be LOUD AGAIN to help amplify the conversation for women over time and to expand our idea of the glass ceiling beyond just the corporate glass ceiling. I know I’m not alone in the fight.
“It’s important to me that we all see the potential in ourselves and the role-model behaviour we want to see around us. From starting the first women’s soccer team for my high school when I was told I couldn’t ‘play with the boys’ to building a career in finance for two decades to launching, self-funding, and building Luminary, a gender-inclusive, global ed-tech and experiential platform for women, I feel like I have always been one to break glass ceilings,” says Cate Luzio, founder of Luminary. “In the process, I hope I have removed barriers for others so those ceilings don’t exist anymore.”
As Cate notes, role models are crucial in the workplace and beyond. According to LinkedIn, 76% of women say they want relatable role models to be more visible. And according to statistics taken in 2023, the 32 companies with female CEOs significantly outperformed those with male CEOs. Spanning the last decade, differences in company returns resulted in a 384% increase from female-led companies, compared to a 261% increase from male-led companies. We need to put more of these women in the C suite, front and centre to inspire and motivate.
And it’s high time we redefine the glass ceiling of what’s holding women back at home, as well. Even when they work full-time, the majority of household, caretaking and childcare responsibilities fall on women. Though women may not always get the recognition they deserve, sometimes it’s about embracing wins both big and small, which is the approach I’ve personally taken. Here are some of the ways I’m breaking the glass ceilings in my own life:
1. By creating this day!
2. By advocating for and championing female founders. My goal is to amplify their voices by putting my purchase power to use. My closet these days is filled almost entirely with female-owned brands.
3. By connecting more than 5,000 women. Since I started the Connect4Women initiative, every March I’ve helped build a community that’s sparked friendships, collaborations, and yes, even jobs.
4. By getting myself out of a rut through action. This March alone, I made 100 matches of women and coaches to help them progress their career or job search, or to help alleviate burnout.
5. By realising after 10 years in advertising that, even as an account person, I could have ideas too. I feel like this is when I really became a leader.
6. By embracing vulnerability at work. I’ve become a better boss, team member, and employee by letting my guard down and encouraging others to do the same.
7. By becoming a mom and letting go of my search for perfection. Once you have kids, you realise that perfection isn’t possible - and that’s more than OK.
On Break the Glass Ceiling Day, my hope is that we take action and spark conversations that dismantle the 'traditional' definitions of success that often hold women back. We need to champion individual values and standards, and ask the tough questions like, “How do we see women as equals and role models for ALL - not just other women? How do we make space for diverse, even conflicting, definitions of success?”
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, how do we use this day to inspire continued action across every single day of the year? There are a couple of simple things anyone can do to acknowledge and spread the word about Break the Glass Ceiling Day: Sign the pledge to champion equity for all or shine a spotlight on the people in your life working to break the glass ceiling with the hashtag # BTGCD. Both take just minutes, but minutes add up to make a difference.
