With legislative changes that make gender discrimination illegal in the workplace, in sports, and in college, for instance, second-generation bias refers to the subtle forms of inherent and unconscious bias that stems from organizational practices and patriarchal structures that Harvard Business School professor Robin Ely[citation needed] argues explains the persistent glass ceiling, or the failure of achieving significant change in gender parity in corporate boardrooms, senior management positions, and in the general workforce.
[4] Despite the passing of a half century since the modern social movement for women's rights began, many of the same public gender gaps persist.
"[5] Due to the subtle and unintentional nature of second-generation gender bias, women may deny or be unaware of the barriers to the same social rewards and opportunities men seem to have in obtaining management and leadership positions in all aspects of social and political life from education to business to politics in any patriarchal society.
[10] Second-generation gender bias is a form of discrimination against women because their practices reflect the values of the men who created the setting, which is often the workplace.
[11] Women who do recognize second-generation gender bias may feel more power-driven, rather than taken advantage of, when thinking of the discriminatory acts that they have experienced in the past.
[11] According to Herminia Ibarra, women who recognize these discriminatory acts feel empowered to take action to counter those effects by pushing themselves to achieve leadership opportunities they are qualified for, seeking out sponsors and supporters, and negotiating their work arrangements.
[citation needed] Women are strong leaders as well because they can be compassionate towards those under them, which in turn could result in better relationships and stronger teams.
[13] Sandra Bem (1981) made known the gender schema theory, which explains how an individual's sex identity is essential to the culture in which one is brought up.
[15] These women may feel intimidated and outnumbered by the males in the workplace, causing them to fear failing while being watched by an audience that is majority male-dominant.
[18] Female lawyers are also often over-represented in areas such as legal aid work, family law and sexual offences prosecutions.
Ending this second-generation gender bias is hard because men and women alike do not realize discrimination is taking place, or deny that it is occurring.