Throughout history, there has been a stereotype instilled in society claiming that leadership has a male connotation. The issue has made many women feel as if they do not belong in a role of power. 

Leadership is associated with males due to the fact that some of the most powerful positions in the government, workplace, and economy have been fulfilled by males. 

According to Forbes, the top 21 most successful companies CEOs are exclusively males. Companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and so many more have predominantly male CEOs. Because so many of the world’s most successful companies are led by males, many associate leadership with males.

According to history.house.gov, from 1789 with George Washington to 2020 with Donald Trump, every President and Vice President to ever hold office in the U.S. has been male. Considering the fact that the President is the most powerful position in America and not once has there ever been a woman elected to this position speaks for itself. 

Many women may get discouraged to know this. Some women may feel as if they have no one to look up to or as if they are incapable of being a leader.

According to payscale.com, women earn 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. The gender wage gap discourages women from success. The way in which men are paid far more than women demonstrates the idea that solely based on your gender, you will be more successful. This associates males with an easier way to success, which also proves the idea that leadership is associated with males. 

Many may argue that leadership is not associated with males because men and women have equal rights. Although this is a great point, women have had a long history, and still experience oppression today. According to whitehouse.gov, women did not gain their right to vote until 1920, while white men gained this basic right many years earlier in the original Constitution. This shows how the country’s success was led exclusively by men until 1920. This associates leadership with men because women were not allowed a say in the outcome of their future.

One solution that will help to break the leadership association with men is the feminism movement. The feminism movement has continually empowered women since 1848. This has helped to break the association between leadership and men, and as long as this movement is alive, we will make great progress as a society.

Another solution to associate more women with leadership is to vote more women into office, help more women create successful businesses, and abolish the gender pay gap.

While society still associates leadership to be associated with males, recently, a huge turning point in U.S. history for women has occurred with the 2020 presidential election where the new Vice President will be a woman, Kamala Harris. Harris was elected to office as the first female Vice President. Harris has inspired many young women to feel as if they can be successful. As if they can be leaders too and not just men. 

Leadership has been associated with males due to many high positions being held by men, but we can change this and work to empower all women to be leaders too.