Women rarely occupied management positions prior to the end of the 20th century. An increase in educational attainment, access to birth control, and removal of structured barriers built on gender norms improved women’s overall accessibility to leadership positions. While women make up 51.5% of all management/professional positions, this is not reflected in male-dominated industries. For example, according to 2017 Catalyst data, women hold only 4.4% of CEO positions in the aggregate of Fortune 500 companies. Male dominated industries traditionally require physical strength, working outdoors, and STEM degrees and certifications. Female dominated industries are traditionally “caring” fields such as education and health care. The leadership styles associated with men and women differ based on societal socialization of gender norms that impact perceptions of gender identity. For example, men are stereotypically viewed as dominant and independent while women are viewed as supportive team builders. Gender performativity is this project’s point of focus. Performativity of gender is the repetition of actions based off an individual’s dominant conventions. This study explores how women approach leadership in fields dominated by men through analyzing their performances and reflecting on characteristics that are stereotypical to men and women. Applying feminist theories surrounding gender performativity and gender norm construction, I will analyze each participant’s leadership style based off their perceptions and experiences in a traditionally male dominated workplace.
