A glass ceiling — or a thick layer of men?
As 2030 approaches, more women will be in managerial positions, though they will still be in the minority. In the private sector, they will be grossly underrepresented, while in the public sector they may be nearing parity with men. It is unlikely, however, that the gender wage gap will disappear, given how persistently high it has remained over the last two or three decades, But will it make a difference if more women are in command?
Are women “bossy” as leaders?
As we approached 2030, it seems that some attitudes toward women as leaders are changing rapidly. “For the first time since Gallup began measuring Americans’ preferences about the gender of their boss,” the famed polling organization reported in 2017, “a majority say their boss’s gender makes no difference to them.” Twenty-three percent of respondents said they would prefer a male boss if they had a choice, while 21 percent preferred a female, a difference well within the margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. Gallup has been asking this question since 1953, when 66 percent preferred a man and only 5 percent a woman, with 25 percent of respondents being indifferent. Intriguingly, in 2017 only 44 percent of women were indifferent compared to 68 percent for men, suggesting that, as we discussed, women differ massively in their attitudes and behavior depending on their age, education, and place of residence. As women become more numerous in a wide variety of workplaces and continue to advance to the highest levels, their roles and positions will shift quickly. By 2030, significant proportions of women will be in positions of political, social, and business leadership, thus potentially undermining once and for all the basis for one of the most blatant forms of discrimination.
Will women rule the world in 2030?
As the number of women of influence grows, will it become the new normal for women to be accepted as leaders? It’s likely that 2030 is too soon for the utopian ideal of complete gender equality, especially given how slowly current trends are moving and how many women are still discriminated against or deprived of opportunities.
The most imponderable factor, however, has little to do with the balance of power and status between the sexes. As cities grow, women gain access to new opportunities. But global warming also accelerates with urban sprawl. And climate change tends to hurt women and children the most.
2030 by Mauro.F.Guillen: 118–123
