Idioms

glass ceiling

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glass ceiling

The systemic discrimination (likened to an invisible barrier) against certain groups in the workplace, especially women, that prevents them from advancing. Many people believe that a glass ceiling exists within the tech industry because not many women hold prominent positions in the field. The senator is aiming to break the biggest glass ceiling in the world with her bid to become the President of the United States of America. You think there's no glass ceiling here? OK, then why do none of the male board members listen to me in meetings?
See also: ceiling, glass
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

glass ceiling

An unacknowledged discriminatory barrier to advancement, especially for women and minorities. For example, Harriet knew she'd never be promoted-she would never get through the glass ceiling. [1980s]
See also: ceiling, glass
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

the glass ceiling

COMMON If you talk about the glass ceiling, you mean the opinions and attitudes which prevent people, especially women, from being given the most important jobs. At the age of 43 she became the highest ranking woman officer in the country, only to find she'd hit the glass ceiling. A woman judge has at last succeeded in breaking through the glass ceiling into the Court of Appeal, the second highest court in the land.
See also: ceiling, glass
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

glass ceiling

An invisible barrier to promotion. This term was born in the women’s movement of the 1970s, when it became clear that in many organizations and businesses discrimination barred women and minorities from advancing beyond a certain point. It is well on its way to clichédom.
See also: ceiling, glass
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
See also:
References in periodicals archive
Studies show that the glass ceiling phenomenon differs significantly between the West and the East.
In the wake of the US election result, we should all vow to put so much strain on that glass ceiling that it shatters.
To obtain the Glass Ceiling Media Package, visit: http://www.glassceilingreno.org/GlassCeiling_MediaPackage.pdf
What glass ceiling? - debating the issues To highlight gender and diversity issues in the industry ICE West Midlands will host a debate on 23 June at the Priory Rooms, Birmingham at 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm - 'What glass ceiling?
She said: "No young girl should grow up in 2015 with the prospect of facing a glass ceiling that limits her ambitions.
To some, dissecting the numbers, party affiliations and geographical distribution of female political leaders will yield the conclusion that a glass ceiling still exists.
Women have been bumping into the glass ceiling ever since they entered the US labor force, so author Janet Pucino's thesis isn't new.
The leading women debated whether a 'glass ceiling' really exists or if there has been a tangible shift in attitude towards women in the workplace, a statement from the university said.
Women's access to leadership positions and authority in organizations and society is limited by social norms, organizational cultures, and structures collectively referred to as 'the glass ceiling'.
Jo's previous books are The Business Rules, An Entrepreneur's Guide and Tales from the Glass Ceiling - A Survival Guide for Women in Business.
However, regardless of promising equal employment opportunity policies, women employees are often knocked down on the imperceptible, but inextricably institutionalised and repressive, transparent barricades, which is technically called the glass ceiling. Hence, this phenomenon in organisational settings implicitly conveys that the opportunity to get promoted to higher echelons in the corridors of organisational power and authority is not as easy as that of being absorbed into organisational fraternity.
'The Glass Ceiling - is it Myth or Reality?' takes place on February 1 from 6pm at the Quay Hotel in Deganwy.
Cracking the highest glass ceiling; a global comparison of women's campaigns for executive office.
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