Final Arete - Volume 4, No 1 Fall Winter 2026

Αρετή (Arete) Journal of Excellence in Global Leadership | Vol. 4 No. 1 | 2026

Lack of Women in Leadership Positions due to Gender Inequality

Traci M. Orman, J.D., MBA ’25, MLD ‘24 Assistant Professor of Business, Saint Mary-of-the Woods College, Indiana, USA

Abstract Background: Women are not achieving leadership positions in the United States as gender inequality still permeates society. Objectives: This article attempts to identify and analyse the main issues and hurdles that are preventing women from achieving significant leadership positions. Methods/Approach: Many different contexts and theories such as sticky floors, broken rung, leaky pipeline, glass treadmill, glass escalator, glass funnel, glass labyrinth, firewalls, glass ceiling, and glass cliff reflect the mechanisms by which women are obstructed from achieving leadership positions. Additionally, there are debated obstacles and constructs such as barriers and biases, microaggressions, disparate compensation, mentorship, the Great Breakup, denial, and lack of awareness which are also contributing to women being unable to reach leadership positions. Results: Gender inequality must be overcome for women to achieve leadership positions as it is a fundamental right of fairness and it benefits businesses for women to lead. Conclusions: The way to achieve gender equality and allow for women to lead is through the implementation of the Equal Rights Amendment. In addition, there must be expanded protections for equal rights through 1) expanding the scope and operation of the Gender Policy Council, 2) establishing a Secretary of Equality, and 3) implementation of Federal Regulations for equality with specific benchmarks to achieve.

Keywords: gender inequality, women, leadership, Equal Rights Amendment

Paper type: Research article

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