Women comprise 50.8 percent of the United States population. They earn the majority of undergraduate and master’s degrees. They hold 52 percent of all management and professional-level jobs. Yet when it comes to representation in executive leadership positions, women still lag substantially behind men.
In the late 20th century, women ushered in an era of rapid progress through concerted effort. The gender wage gap narrowed, sex segregation declined, and the percentage of women in management rose. In recent decades, however, women’s gains have slowed. The gender wage gap persists, and the number of women in top management positions and on corporate boards has stalled.
