Disrupting the effects of gender microaggressions: Allies as triggers of redemptive sense-making

Abstract

Women continue to remain underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), and this gender disparity is particularly pronounced in leadership positions. Through in-depth, qualitative interviews of 39 professional women in STEM careers, we explore how experiencing gender microaggressions in the workplace can shape the experiences and leadership outcomes for women leaders in STEM. Our findings highlight the various types of gender microaggressions women most often confront, and how and when these microaggressions are likely to occur. We discover the negative impact that experiencing microaggressions can have on women’s work identities, and in particular how it can trigger a cycle of rumination and self-doubt. Importantly, we surface the interventional and empowering role that allies play in triggering a redemptive sense-making process that can ultimately support women to build resilience and counter the negative effects of this experience.