Professional Women And Stereotypes: Moving Past Them
Women, especially those pursuing careers in traditionally male-dominated professions, are often the targets of gender-infused stereotypes. At its essence, a stereotype is “a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image of idea of a person or thing.” Of course, women and men have, historically, served different societal functions, and many professions were until very recently reserved for men. As such, even as these roles have begun to evolve, the way women are observed and expected to behave at the work place has not followed suit. Women struggle daily in battling these stereotypes, which often hinders their performance and productivity at work. This article details three of the main stereotypes and generalizations surrounding professional women, which affect the contribution women make at the workplace.
Stereotype #1: Women do not possess the required skills that men inherently possess for certain professions or job titles.
References
Korn Ferry, “New Research Shows Women Are Better at Using Soft Skills Crucial for Effective Leadership and Superior Business Performance, Finds Korn Ferry Hay Group”. March 4, 2016
https://www.kornferry.com/press/new-research-shows-women-are-better-at-using-soft-skills-crucial-for-effective-leadership/
About the Authors
Aisha Khan
Aisha Khan is PhD candidate in Economics at the University of Calgary. She specializes in family and gender economics within developing and developed communities.
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