- Categories:
- Cause
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every May 15
- Holiday emoji:
- shatter
Break The Glass Ceiling Day arrives every May 15, urging us to dismantle the invisible systemic barriers that hinder professional advancement for women and underrepresented communities. This day champions living by your own values and achieving success on your own terms. Join the movement by advocating for equity, mentoring others, and celebrating diverse achievements.
Want to sponsor Break The Glass Ceiling Day? Learn how
Expected Break The Glass Ceiling Day Deals
On Break The Glass Ceiling Day, the focus shifts from commercial deals to impactful initiatives supporting professional equity. Organizations like Catalyst and LeanIn.Org often highlight their programs for leadership development and mentorship, encouraging donations or volunteer sign-ups. Companies such as Deloitte and Goldman Sachs, known for their diversity and inclusion reports and women’s initiatives, may host webinars or share research on workplace equity. Look for local businesses and professional associations to offer free workshops, networking events, or special recognition for women leaders. Many brands might also run donation-matching campaigns with non-profits dedicated to empowering women and marginalized communities. We will update this page with confirmed live events and programs as May 15 approaches.
Platform Guide for Break The Glass Ceiling Day
Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #BreakTheGlassCeilingDay. Share stories of professional women who inspire you.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #BreakTheGlassCeilingDay. Share statistics or articles on gender equity and professional advancement.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #BreakTheGlassCeilingDay. Post about local events or community initiatives supporting women’s leadership.
Break The Glass Ceiling Day Hero
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Break The Glass Ceiling Day
Local businesses can honor Break The Glass Ceiling Day by actively promoting women into leadership roles and showcasing their achievements. Host a panel discussion featuring female executives or entrepreneurs from your community. Implement or highlight existing equitable hiring and promotion practices, ensuring transparency. Consider sponsoring local mentorship programs or donating a portion of sales to organizations that support women’s professional development. Use social media to share stories of inspiring women in your industry, encouraging others to celebrate and support their journeys.
Break The Glass Ceiling Day FAQs
When is Break The Glass Ceiling Day?
In 2027, Break The Glass Ceiling Day will be observed on Saturday, May 15. This annual observance continues to inspire action towards workplace equity and inclusion.
How does the gender pay gap impact women's advancement?
By 2027, the persistent pay gap continues to affect women’s ability to invest in their careers, save for retirement, and achieve financial independence. This disparity often contributes to women being less likely to pursue or remain in leadership positions.
What progress has been made in women's leadership?
While progress is evident, the journey towards full parity in leadership continues in 2027. The number of women in CEO roles, though growing, remains a small fraction of the total, underscoring the ongoing need for initiatives like Break The Glass Ceiling Day.
What are some ways to support women in the workplace?
In 2027, fostering an inclusive culture where women feel empowered to speak up and lead is paramount. This includes establishing clear pathways for career progression, celebrating achievements, and ensuring equitable access to resources and development programs.
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.
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