On Tuesday we talked about the "glass ceiling" and "velvet ghetto." Dr. Aldoory introduced the metaphor of a "layered glass ceiling." in which there are layered phases of status in the professional world and the glass become thicker and harder to break as one climbs the corporate ladder. On the other hand, Mike comments on the "death of the old boy's club" and notes the prevalence of females in the public relations industry. Other's agreed that the glass ceiling still ultimately exists but it perhaps may be easier to break through.
Wednesday we transitioned into work-life balance. Alyssa questioned why women can't have it all. As cultural norms shift away from stay-at-home moms, why can't women balance a successful career while raising a family? Jennie provided some excellent advice about how to achieve said balance including understanding one' priorities, knowing when to ask for help, and maintaing one's emotional and physical well-being. We also looked at what this change in gender roles may mean for men. Wednesday's topic is extremely pertinent to current trends in the field and was reflected in the amount of responses we received.
Yesterday we looked at perceptions and expectations, particularly the issue of equal pay. Missy brought up an excellent example about the cultivation of gender differences at an early age and used the example of children on the playground. This lead to Jennie's point about women not receiving higher pay because they simply fail to "make the ask." Mark also made some very good points about gender perceptions in general, including an anecdote from his childhood and an experience from the Navy.
We've definitely had a great week thus far and I look forward to seeing the posts about the future of PR and the gender gap within the field.
Sabrina
I believe in the future of public relations, particularly as it relates to the gender gap. While strides have been made, there's still work to be done. I think it was Gandhi who said, "Be the change that you want to see in the world." I encourage all of you, whether female or male, to be the change you want to see in the public relations profession.
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