Unconscious bias | We need to redefine what it means to be a 'professional woman'

For generations there has been a prescribed beauty standard thrust on women.

Today, wearing make-up, doing one’s hair, and grooming activities - such as hair removal - are a normal part of the female experience. However, these acts can be considered an unnatural standard that has been imposed on women throughout history.

That’s not to say these acts are inherently ‘bad’, or that they apply to women only, but they have often been associated with what it means to be ‘feminine’, and therefore what it means to be a ‘real woman’.

The professional world doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it has mirrored the power dynamics seen in everyday life. As women joined the workforce a little later than their male peers, the journey through society’s idea of what a ‘professional woman’ is has certainly evolved throughout the years. Yet, many of the beauty standards women face in their personal lives, they also experience in their working lives. And studies show this can have a negative impact on their confidence, wellbeing, and even their salary.