In Her Own Voice: A Focused Exploration of Women Working in Traditionally Male-Dominated Fields

Abstract

A glaring gender disparity in the workplace exists in traditionally male-dominated industries, yet there is little conversation about these experiences among the women affected by the disparity. This focused exploration of Southern Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky delves into the ways women in leadership in male-dominated industries are dealing with the barriers they face. This interdisciplinary qualitative study consisted of interviews of twelve women working in a leadership role in a traditionally male-dominated field. The interpretation of the interview data was guided by feminist theory, organizational theory, and communication theory of identity. Iterative coding revealed three salient themes across the interview data: Antagonism versus cooperation that women encounter from other women at work, issues surrounding the female body, and finding a sense of belonging amidst patriarchal networks. Communication identity theory was used to frame and evaluate the interview data to identify ways in which the women’s self-image and perspectives changed based on her lived experience and the narratives in her life. The women in this region struggle with the same barriers to success that women across the country experience, however the culture in the area creates an atmosphere where women do not discuss the barriers they must navigate. This study explored the voices of previously unheard participants in the conversation about gender disparity and sexism.