UNC Wilmington hosted the Southeastern Women’s Studies Association (SEWSA) conference on Mar. 27-29. The conference gave people the opportunity to hear women’s studies projects on many different topics, including a discussion of the metaphorical “glass ceiling” women face in the academic and corporate worlds. Corporate consultant Jude Sotherlund presented a lecture on the topic during Friday’s events.

Sotherlund was first acquainted with the idea of the glass ceiling in the workplace early in her career. She was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment Standards and a Staff Assistant in the Office of Communications at the White House. Working in the area of employment standards allowed Sotherlund to gain knowledge of how women are faced with the glass ceiling on a day-to-day basis during their careers.

Amy Kirschke, a UNCW professor of art history, knows Sotherlund on a personal level and believes that Sotherlund was the perfect person to have spoken at SEWSA. 

“She has had to work in all-male environments on more than one occasion and knows the struggles women face in the workplace,” Kirschke said. “She has dedicated her life to elucidating those struggles and to working for the betterment of women.”  

The glass ceiling is one of those struggles women face on a daily basis. Women get stuck behind barriers in middle management. These barriers are often perpetuated by antiquated opinions of women’s roles and abilities. 

“We are so pleased that Ms. Sotherlund was willing to share her expertise on the glass ceiling as part of our SEWSA conference,” said Michelle Scatton-Tessier, director of UNCW’s Women’s Studies and Resource Center. “Once we truly reflected on the positive impact that her talk would have with our campus, we decided to open the event to all. Her talk adds a strong component on gender equality in the U.S.– what we have all achieved and what still needs to be done.”

Sotherlund began her lecture with a timeline of women’s history in the workplace. She mentioned important dates, such as the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but she claimed the most important date for women was in 1984. It was the first time “the glass ceiling” was mentioned, and it is still a problem in the workforce 30 years later. 

Sotherlund mentioned the myths behind society’s ideas of women in the workforce and how they have contributed to the glass ceiling. The myths went as followed: it’s only a matter of time before women make it to the top in their careers; women do not make it to the top because they take time off to have children; women do not have the right degrees; women cannot make tough decisions or they are not committed enough.  

“You can’t boil the ocean,” Sotherlund said. “You can boil a cup of tea, but you can’t boil the ocean.” 

Sotherlund’s idea is simple enough; women have to start small in order to make the changes necessary in the workforce. In order to dismantle the glass ceiling, Sotherlund suggested women start networking, seek information, be bold and support all other women.