When many people think of women being treated unfairly in the workplace, they think of higher-up males who belittle women, pay them less and sexually harass them. Of course, this type of scenario does play out in too many workplaces in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. However, it is important to remember that gender discrimination can stem from female higher-ups as well, even against other women.
The idea of women facing discrimination from other women may not seem like a big deal, but in reality, female workers could be subjected to unfair treatment that impedes their careers and negatively affects their lives in general from female superiors. Female superiors may even refuse to promote qualified female subordinates if the superiors do not believe that they conform to gender ideals of the workplace, including being less feminine. In fact, women subordinates may even be looked down upon by women superiors simply because of their looks.
Unfortunately, discrimination in the workplace from both male and female workers could create a toxic environment of continual discriminatory actions. For example, if a female worker faced discriminatory actions before finally achieving a higher-up position, she could utilize similar discriminatory actions against those below her simply because it was what she had to endure. This vicious cycle can continue with people of any gender.
Of course, steps can be taken to end the cycle of gender discrimination in any Washington, D.C. workplace. If workers believe that they are being mistreated solely due to their gender, they may want to look into their legal options for addressing the matter. In some cases, complaints to human resources may be enough to bring about change, but if not, filing a discrimination claim could allow for a case to receive the attention it deserves.
