Guest Author - Isabelle Harman
How Do Women See Themselves?
Culture plays a significant role in how women perceive themselves. Even within a specific country, cultural differences abound and assumptions about how a person is are based upon preconceived notions.
For example, in the United States a person who is from the northeast is automatically assumed to be a little stuffy; someone from the south – religious; west coast – very laid-back. Someone of color is assumed to have gone from rags to riches if they give the appearance of affluence. A person’s accent can make them brilliant, dumb, interesting, or pitied. Blondes have more fun and brunettes are hard to get, right?
How do these cultural perceptions affect a woman’s view of herself? Is the perception of women worldwide something to be concerned about? Do we see ourselves through the same microscope regardless which country we live in?
Let’s bring this concept into the workforce. The glass ceiling is still visible to many who are trying to move from middle management to an executive position. Granted, many women have chosen to take the situation into their own hands and create their own empires a la Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart. But many who have the potential to develop themselves and create their own empire can’t seem to move beyond the stereotypes they have bestowed upon themselves.
Case in point – an executive, who will remain nameless, is currently carrying the load of the burden to ensure that a local business council achieves success. But, instead of speaking up and making relevant changes throughout the course of her eight years with the organization, she has chosen to keep her mouth shut and do what the boss asks. The confusing part is – she’s brilliant, funny, personable and more than capable to be the president of the organization. But she won’t allow herself that option.
Family values, simply being happy where you are, and just wanting to make it to retirement are all valid arguments for why this particular executive may have chosen to stay in the position she’s in. But is it possible that because of cultural perceptions of a woman’s ability to lead, she can’t break that glass ceiling in her own mind?
There is no taking away the fact that many women simply don’t want to be CEOs and corporate executives. However, ingrained cultural perceptions of a woman’s place in societies around the globe stop those who want to be in those positions from achieving that success.
How do you respond to this question of culture and a woman’s ability to succeed in life?
