Publisher's Weekly Review
Journalist Sieghart debuts with a cogent analysis of the ways in which women are denied the respect and authority given to men. Contending that society's assumptions about women stand in the way of their ability to reach their potential, Sieghart cites evidence that "women are much more likely to be interrupted than men," that teachers encourage and expect more from boys than girls, and that women are judged based on appearance rather than competence. Sieghart also notes that neuroscientist Ben Barres, a trans man, believed that his career path and scholarly standing improved after his transition ("I can even complete a whole sentence without being interrupted by a man," he wrote in an article Nature). Meanwhile, interviews with novelist Bernardine Evaristo, U.S. treasury secretary Janet Yellen, and other high achievers make clear that even women at the top of their fields have been underestimated, dismissed, and ignored. Sieghart's blueprint for closing the authority gap includes advice for individuals ("Become aware of our bias in everyday interactions") and employers ("Keep meticulous track of how women are doing in our organization compared with men"). Skillfully interweaving psychology, sociology, politics, and pop culture, this a persuasive introduction to the problem of gender bias. (Feb.)
Guardian Review
The only thing worse than not being aware enough of gender inequality is experiencing it too much. The Authority Gap, by Mary Ann Sieghart, is one of those books that takes something ubiquitous, something that perhaps many have become desensitised to, and slowly exposes its far-reaching implications. Underestimation of capability is something women have to live with from childhood, but, as Sieghart rightly says at the start of her manifesto, "this underestimation is so commonplace that most women bat it away as if it were a fly buzzing around their head. But it's just as irritating." By the end of the book, I found that weariness give way to resolve. Sieghart's study offers a breakdown of all the ways in which an "authority gap" is manifested between men and women, and how its cumulative results amount to de facto informal laws prohibiting women from taking certain jobs. Despite the progress society has made there are still many ways in which women are prevented from achieving equality. The strength of the work is in its data collection. Sieghart has interviewed more than 100 women and grounded their anecdotal accounts with research. A few high-profile interviewees remain with us throughout, a cast of characters who bring in their experience to support Sieghart's point that no matter how powerful a woman is, no matter how outwardly high achieving, she will still not be vested with the same authority as a man of similar - and often lower - status. These are real players: heads of state, CEOs of large companies, holders of high political office and Booker prize winners. The openness with which they speak about the challenges they still face is both humbling and appalling. If Christine Lagarde feels sometimes like she has to psyche herself up to speak publicly, then surely what any other woman goes through is normal, but also inescapable. The evidence for the size and persistence of the authority gap isn't just in theunsurprising, for example that when men exert authority they are seen as taking control, but when women do it they are dismissed as "bossy", "abrasive", and "bitchy". Sieghart also brings in more subtle evidence that shows how women's learned impulse to render themselves as unobtrusive as possible begins to dictate entire national characteristics. In one remarkable section, she explains how the very register of a woman's voice is dictated by the need to appear unthreatening to men - the higher it is, the more women are demonstrating "feminine" traits such as "submissiveness, deference and subservience". In Japan, women use markedly higher ranges than in western countries, peaking when they are trying to be polite. In another section, she mentions an app called Woman Interrupted, which detects when a male voice speaks over a woman. In the UK, this happens 1.67 times a minute, while in Pakistan it's 8.28 times. Such detail seems less damning than the conditions that powerful women still face, but in its subtlety much more devastating. The first few chapters of the book are the strongest: Sieghart explains not only that there is an authority gap that has serious consequences, but that closing it is good for everyone, men included. In a fascinating chapter about the experiences of trans men and women she illustrates a world hardwired to benefit men. Men reported losing authority once they transitioned, and women gained it. It is harder to keep track once Sieghart starts to break down the authority gap into its parts. Chapters are divided into texts that do not seem that distinct from each other. Headings such as "The confidence trick: confidence is not the same as competence", "Conversational manspreading: how men hog the floor", and "Changing our minds: how hard it is for women to exert influence" all start to blend into one. The reader starts to lose the very specific thread of authority, and stray into the realm of general patriarchy and misogyny. Of course, the authority gap exists because of these structural gender imbalances, but the distinct contours of the gap begin to blur a little as the thesis progresses. I also wished, as the voices of powerful women punctuated the book with their accounts of being undermined and underestimated (or "mandermined" and "manderestimated", as Sieghart puts it), that the authority gap could have been demonstrated more through a less elite cohort. It makes sense to refer to those women with the most authority to show that the gap is so huge it applies even to them, but I found myself searching for more details of everyday challenges that don't involve boardrooms or high office. That said, Sieghart is fastidious in trying to cover the experiences of all women across the spectrum. In the chapter "Bias entangled: The busy intersection of prejudice", the multiplicity of complications that arise for women who are not middle class, white, straight or able bodied is earnestly and diligently tackled. Despite this effort there is surprisingly little political contextualisation in the analysis. In one anecdote that recurs a few times, black people in senior roles are assumed to be the help. MP Dawn Butler is told in her first days in Westminster that the lift she is in "isn't really for cleaners". It would have been helpful to take another beat here to explain that the authority gap is also maintained in western countries by harsh immigration systems that trap some people of colour in low-paid, insecure jobs. In the UK, those systems have been enforced most strictly, in recent years, by women. But it is through the empowering of women at the top that Sieghart believes we have the best chance to close the authority gap. Most of the solutions she proposes, she writes, "are aimed at getting more women into leadership positions. This will eventually transform our attitudes towards authoritative women." Whether that would be transformative for our politics in ways that give women across the hierarchy the same respect is another question.
Kirkus Review
An examination of "the mother of all gender gaps." London-based journalist Sieghart recounts how, while attending a conference, she sat next to a banker who inquired about her occupation. After she answered, he exclaimed, "Wow, you're a busy little girl!" She was 50 at the time. This is just one of the many examples that the author offers as evidence that, despite some progress, women are still taken less seriously than men. Sieghart contends that women (and those who identify as women) are still routinely patronized by men, have their views ignored or their expertise challenged, are talked over by male colleagues, and have subordinates resist them as bosses. To further support her claims, the author provides details from research studies as well as interviews with numerous women who have held high-ranking positions. These include Madeleine Albright, Janet Yellen, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Bachelet, and Julia Gillard, who also provide firsthand accounts of their experiences. Sieghart examines the biases that many men (as well as women) have toward women, which are often "irrational and anachronistic product[s] of social conditioning and outdated stereotypes." From an early age, she writes, "we absorb the notion that girls and women are designed to be ornamental and boys and men to be instrumental." The author also contends that adults reinforce these stereotypes, often unwittingly, when they engage with children. To counteract this problem, she delivers meaningful and easily actionable suggestions for individuals and society. For example, Sieghart suggests that if fathers are more involved in raising their children, sons will "have a more egalitarian perspective" of women's roles. Regarding schooling, the author shows how teachers can help increase the confidence of girls by encouraging them to speak up in class. She also implores journalists to resist devoting so much time to women's appearances. An important and hopeful reminder that much work is still needed in order to bridge unjust gaps between women and men. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
If a woman asserts herself, she is pushy; if she doesn't, she isn't heard. This conundrum is explored deeply here, using both scientific studies and interviews with powerful women like Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard. Sieghart specifically addresses those who don't believe such an authority gap exists. Research shows that both men and women have an unconscious bias against the expertise and authority of anyone who identifies as a woman, whether in politics, the workplace, religion, or the media. In fact, many men just don't engage with woman experts. An interview with trans men and women reveals the difference in treatment pre- and post-transition. Sieghart discusses impostor syndrome versus "conversational manspreading," which leads to men's voices being prioritized. Though she suggests that women lean in to likability, she acknowledges that the problem is so deeply seeded that only systemic change will close the gender authority gap. Fortunately, she ends with solutions that individuals, colleagues, teachers, and the media can implement. Thoroughly researched and compellingly written, The Authority Gap is a must-read for all genders.
Library Journal Review
In this debut, journalist Sieghart shows how professional-managerial women face gender bias today; even those who are highly qualified and skilled and excel in their careers are often talked over by male colleagues at meetings, overlooked, underestimated, or patronized. Sieghart contends that this results from an authority gap between men and women and examines how gender bias works in various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and business. In addition to presenting research on gender bias, the author conducts interviews with women who work in fields like academia and politics, which work as case studies of experiences of gender bias. Sieghart's interview subjects include Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo; Anne Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox; Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy; Frances Morris, director of the Tate Modern museum; and Julia Gillard, former prime minister of Australia. Sieghart takes particular care to interview trans men and women about their experiences and how they were treated at work after transitioning. Sieghart argues that the first step in changing corporate culture is to admit that the authority gap exists. VERDICT A practical book about gender bias and how to alleviate it. Highly recommended.--Lucy Heckman