Women are, and have been, entering the workplace in rapid numbers. Although some women may face workplace discrimination, evidence shows that middle- and upper-class women are prospering.
When talking about women in the workplace, often the term "glass ceiling" is used. It refers to the imaginary career barrier that seemingly impede's a woman's ability to rise to the top ranks of her profession, while men effortlessly continue up in the ranks. Diana Furchtgott-Roth argues that there is no such thing as a glass ceiling, saying "Today women are well-represented in the professions; they continue to enter fields of study previously dominated
by men; they are starting their own businesses in record numbers. All those gains clearly contradict the image of women as victims struggling against discrimination in the workplace." According to Furchtgott-Roth, fewer female executives in the workforce has more to do with the choices that women make regarding their careers, rather than blaming it on the "glass ceiling." As Furchtgott-Roth sees it, the demands of raising a family often conflict with the realities of attaining a higher level in one's profession. To reach the CEO level, for example, individuals usually have to log many years on the job, typically 25 or more, and dedicate more than 40 hours per week to their profession. Writes Furchtgott-Roth, "Many men and women, especially mothers, do not want to do this. Moving in and out of the work force in accordance with family demands is not conducive to being a CEO of a major corporation. There is nothing wrong with choosing a career which allows more time at home with less pay rather than one with more time at work with more pay, and in either case women should not be considered victims of a glass ceiling." Elizabeth Fox-Genovese echoes this viewpoint by stating, "For women to earn the same as men, they must hold the same jobs and must hold them for the same amount of time. This is not a scenario that easily includes...