gender normativity in jobs

 

In the recent issue of Psychological Science, Victoria Brescoll from the Yale School of Management contributes, "Hard Won and Easily Lost: The Fragile Status of Leaders in Gender-Stereotype-Incongruent Occupation." Her findings aren't really surprising, but the analysis is. Brescoll isn't exactly groundbreaking: basically if you are a female in a traditionally male role and make a one small mistake than you are seen as incompetent. She goes on to say that a male in a traditionally female role is held to the same (silly) standard. It's the glass cliff.

What I find a bit troubling is how she uses the results to distance the phenomenon from gender discrimination. She writes,

We hypothesized that this effect is driven by reactions to individuals in roles inconsistent with their gender—and not simply by discrimination against women—and we predicted that a similar penalty would be evident for men and women in gender-incongruent jobs.

However, the below findings suggest that women do not suffer from discrimination the same way that men do.

Status conferral is calculated using four factors: status, power, independence and respect. Although the two jobs: that of President of a women's college and police chief were chosen because they are seen to be on par with each other, the President of the women's college (whether male or female) is seen as having less status as a police chief. And, not to knock police chiefs, but there are a lot - one in every single city across the whole of the united states. There are not many women's colleges. In order to be a President of a women's college you have to have advanced degrees, substantial research and prestige and respect within the scholarly community. In order to be police chief of a small town, you don't need nationwide recognition of your work. So, why are they seen as equal by the researchers? And, why is a Preisdent of a women's college seen as less prestigeous by the research participants? I can venture a guess that if they used President of a co-educational college v. President of a women's college - the results would not be the same. 

Additionally, the fall from the glass cliff is steeper for women than for men. I just don't get how this isn't a gendered issue - how this isn't an example of gender discrimination. Because, let's face it, most high-powered jobs are dominated by men and seen as male terrain. The fact that the most prestigious female gendered job they could find was president of a women's college (when there are probably less than 10 women's colleges in the nation) is telling. This is a female issue. This is not to say that it shouldn't be recognized that it occurs to men as well - but by and large it happens to women. To frame this as not part of a larger gender issue is a mistake.