Today I Learnt: What Is Glass Escalator?

What is Glass Escalator? Glass Ceilings, Glass Cliffs, and many more have been terms defining various sensitive phenomena relating to patriarchy, women's rights, and equality among other such things. Today we learn about the Glass Escalator phenomena.

While glass ceilings are defined as a barrier keeping women from getting higher positions, the Glass cliff is a phenomenon according to which women are more likely to get leadership roles than men during times of crisis. Glass Escalator is defining a scenario where men, most probably heterosexual white men, are considered for advanced positions, giving them an upper hand, when they enter primarily any female-dominated professions.

What Is Glass Escalator? Men's Fast Track To Power

An Overview:

Glass Escalator basically refers to the structures found in any profession, mainly female-dominated professions, where men are given a speed ticket or an escalator by being considered for higher positions without having to put in the work for it.

Men are by default seen as having the upper hand in the hierarchy in the professional world, be it in any field. The men employed see a higher and faster promotion rate while being employed in any female-led or minority-dominated profession. The term "glass escalator" was first used by Christine L. Williams in her article "The Glass Escalator: Hidden Advantages for Men in the "Female" Professions." It was published back in 1992, around 3 decades ago.

Explanation:

The term is mainly coined based mostly on the usage of an escalator. An escalator makes sure you get to places, mostly going up, easily, without having to put in the work of walking up the stairs all by yourself. It takes you up faster, which is compared to how men get moved up quickly to higher positions by default in women-led professions. In this scenario, the career advancement of men is seen as a ride on an escalator, moving up, receiving promotions quicker than their women counterparts.

The glass escalator effect can be kept in check by providing an equal and leveled playing field in the workforce by promotion based on evaluation, assessment of performance, seniority systems, etc without gender having anything to do with consideration for higher positions.

Glass Escalator To Women's Disadvantage:

This glass escalator phenomenon proves detrimental to women as even centuries later, with women fighting hard to work, and shattering glass ceilings, this structure still blocks their way to reach the higher echelons of success. This existing structure only proves beneficial to men in gaining stability, financial security, and familial advantages. This phenomenon sheds light on the hierarchy that exists within the workforce structure.

In India, despite women being higher in number in the fields of agriculture, education, textiles, and domestic service, they are hardly seen as working women and are still answerable more often than not to men in higher positions, and men at home. This will only add to the inequality that still prevails in society.

Feature image credit: Unsplash

Suggested Reading: Today I Learned: What Is Glass Cliff?