Book contents
- Panes of the Glass Ceiling
- Panes of the Glass Ceiling
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Attribution
- Introduction
- 1 “We See You Differently Than We See Men” (But)
- 2 “We Expect You to Take Your (Verbal) Punches Like a Man” (And)
- 3 “Accept ‘Locker Room’ and Sexist Talk” (But)
- 4 “You Don’t Operate with Full Agency” (But)
- 5 “Women Are the Downfall of Men” (So)
- 6 “Just Be Grateful That You’re There” (And)
- 7 “Don’t Burden Us with Your (Impending) Motherhood” (Because)
- 8 “He Has a Family to Support” (And Besides …)
- 9 “Bad People Don’t Do Good Things, but Good People Frequently Say Bad Things” (and Employment Discrimination Plaintiffs Can’t Be Fully Trusted)
- Conclusion
- Index
6 - “Just Be Grateful That You’re There” (And)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 March 2022
- Panes of the Glass Ceiling
- Panes of the Glass Ceiling
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Attribution
- Introduction
- 1 “We See You Differently Than We See Men” (But)
- 2 “We Expect You to Take Your (Verbal) Punches Like a Man” (And)
- 3 “Accept ‘Locker Room’ and Sexist Talk” (But)
- 4 “You Don’t Operate with Full Agency” (But)
- 5 “Women Are the Downfall of Men” (So)
- 6 “Just Be Grateful That You’re There” (And)
- 7 “Don’t Burden Us with Your (Impending) Motherhood” (Because)
- 8 “He Has a Family to Support” (And Besides …)
- 9 “Bad People Don’t Do Good Things, but Good People Frequently Say Bad Things” (and Employment Discrimination Plaintiffs Can’t Be Fully Trusted)
- Conclusion
- Index
Summary
The unspoken belief that women ought simply to be grateful that they are there in the workplace, rather than complaining about perceived wrongs or aspiring to greater workplace power or prestige, is particularly pernicious. The sentiment behind it is inimical to Title VII’s goals, and the voicing of such a belief would likely be offensive to a reasonable person today. This is thus perhaps one of the hardest beliefs to write about, since it is arguably one of the beliefs that is most likely to be universally disclaimed and the least likely to be voiced in any way. It may not even be a conscious belief in the mind of most, but it is present, on some level, throughout society and in the workplace, and its impact is felt and seen in numerous problems found in the regulation of workplace behavior.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Panes of the Glass CeilingThe Unspoken Beliefs Behind the Law's Failure to Help Women Achieve Professional Parity, pp. 151 - 169Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022