It’s time to Break the Glass Ceiling. The often-invisible systemic barriers that exist to keep women and underrepresented communities from professional advancement.
World Economic Forum’s 2021 Global Gender Gap Report estimates that it will take an average of 135.6 years for women and men to reach parity on a range of factors worldwide. That’s why Break the Glass Ceiling Day is on May 15, the 135th day of the year. And that’s why we need to do more than just break through.
We are dismantling outdated definitions of success. For all people who identify as women, for all historically marginalized communities. We are championing living by your own values and achieving them by your own standards. Because there’s more than one way to break the glass ceiling.
Today is about encouraging action. Our mission is not only uplifting women in the workplace but all underrepresented communities, including multicultural, transgender, and queer communities.
As we continue on this journey, we must ask three crucial questions:
- How do we see women as equals and role models for ALL — not just other women.
- How do we make space for diverse, even conflicting, definitions of success?
- How do we use this day to inspire continued action across every single day of the year?
Let’s celebrate #BTGCD and redefine success on our own terms.
History of Break The Glass Ceiling Day
If we continue down the current path, it will take over 135 years to achieve gender pay parity. That’s why we celebrate Break the Glass Ceiling Day on May 15, the 135th day of the year.
Despite being a long-awaited national holiday, the idea of ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ has been around since the ‘70s. But recently, the conversation has been declining. Let’s reignite the conversation and change.
Break The Glass Ceiling Day timeline
During the 20th century, the Suffrage movement fights for Votes for Women through peaceful protests, hunger strikes, and civil disobedience.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett and 60 other black women attend the first Women’s Suffrage Movement parade. Refusing to go to the back, she returns to the march with her own delegation.
African Americans fill labor shortages caused by the First World War.
The First World War sees women employed in what were viewed as male professions, increasing the employment rates of women in work from roughly 24% to 38-47%.
African Americans in most of the U.S. are prevented from voting or given access to voting rights until mid- to -late 60s when Civil Rights era voting laws are signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Gay Bryant is the first person to use the term "glass ceiling" in print with the publication of The Working Woman Report. The term is used to refer to biases keeping women and other underrepresented people from advancing in the workplace.
According to a McGregor-Smith review, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women face a rate of 15% unemployment, compared to those of white women (roughly 5%). This review also highlights how women of color are forced to take jobs at a lower level than their qualifications. Similarly, in a survey of 7,500 professionals conducted by Robert Walters, 63% of Black professional women did not see a pay increase after negotiations for a pay increase or promotion.
VMLY&R sponsors Break the Glass Ceiling Day and the first celebration takes place. Want to be a sponsor: learn how.
Break The Glass Ceiling Day FAQs
How do we make a splash not just amongst professional women but society at large?
To achieve this means going beyond providing professional resources. We must generate awareness and attention outside of women in the workplace.
Do women perform better as CEOs?
According to statistics taken in 2023, the 32 companies with female CEOs significantly outperform those with male CEOs. Spanning the last decade, differences in company returns resulted in 384% from female-led companies, compared to 261% from male-led companies.
What is Breaking the Glass Ceiling?
Gay Bryant was the first person to use the term glass ceiling in print with the publication of The Working Woman Report in 1984 to refer to biases keeping women and other minorities from advancing in the workplace.
How to Observe Break The Glass Ceiling Day
Celebrate women who smashed it
Honor the trailblazers who broke barriers in business, politics, science, and beyond. Share their stories or start a conversation about your personal role models.
Host a brainstorming session
Gather your friends and coworkers for a fun and inspiring session where you dream up bold ideas in your field. Challenge yourself to think outside the box and go against the norms.
Social media
Help shine a spotlight on the people in your life who are doing the work and breaking the glass ceiling with the hashtag # BTGCD.
Breaking The Glass Ceiling Doesn’t Just Move Us Forward. It Makes Us More Whole.
Stress kills
Around seven in 10 adults (72%) have experienced health impacts due to stress in 2022. (American Psychological Association)
Worldwide trauma
America is “a nation recovering from collective trauma” — the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts, racism and racial injustice, inflation, and climate-related disasters are all weighing on the collective consciousness of Americans. (APA)
Happiness beats all
However, 71% of Americans are optimistic about the upcoming year, compared to 64% in 2023. (Retail Brew)
Men AND women, not men vs women
Since 2022, just under 68% of men older than 25 were employed, compared to 55.4% of women. Despite this higher employment ratio, the gap grows smaller while educational attainment increases. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics)
Post-pandemic recovery
Female employment has seen broad improvement thanks to a post-pandemic recovery. The U.S. economy recovered in record time from the COVID-19 recession, with overall employment fully recovering to pre-pandemic levels by August 2022. As of January 2023, the women's labor participation rate hit 77.0 percent, exceeding 76% in 2019. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics)
Why Break The Glass Ceiling Day is Important
It's empowering
Role models are vital within all aspects of life, in and out of the workplace. 76% of women say they want relatable role models to be more visible. And according to statistics taken in 2023, the 32 companies with female CEOs significantly outperformed those with male CEOs. Spanning the last decade, differences in company returns resulted in 384% increase from female-led companies, compared to 261% increase from male-led companies.
Modernization
While Break the Glass Ceiling Day is making its long-awaited national holiday debut, it is a term that has been around since the 1970s. But as socio-political messaging becomes more common, consumers are becoming increasingly desensitized to messaging. How do we make our message feel relevant and urgent?
It creates unity
Break the Glass Ceiling Day is not just about uplifting women in the workplace, but all underrepresented communities, including multicultural, transgender, and queer communities.
Break The Glass Ceiling Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | May 15 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 15 | Friday |
| 2027 | May 15 | Saturday |
| 2028 | May 15 | Monday |
| 2029 | May 15 | Tuesday |
