‘Now you see me, now you don’t’: The Visibility Paradox for Women in a Male-Dominated Profession

Abstract

Work has long been understood as central to male identity signifying personal/family responsibility and, more recently, commitment to the duties of citizenship (Lewis, 2004). With the rise in women’s labour market participation, however, work is now increasingly influencing women’s sense of self. Explanations for growing attachment to paid work include increasing economic needs or desires but also strengthening the sense of identity or self esteem provided by work and the opportunities it offers to engage in meaningful relationships with others (Lewis et al, 2003). Women who undertake professional work are still seen as stepping outside the traditional female stereotype and those who are employed in male-dominated professions remain as tokens in most sectors. As tokens, they are often in a position of representing their ascribed category to the majority group so that ‘ordinary’ group membership eludes them with the label of ‘female-judge’, ‘female-plumber’, or, as in this case, ‘female-engineer’ firmly assigned. Because of their obvious difference in relation to the dominant group ‘tokens capture a larger awareness share’ (Whittock, 2000: 177) which renders them highly visible and subject to intense scrutiny by others, often experienced as social exclusion. The choice by tokens of accepting isolation or taking active steps towards assimilation is risk-laden and complex and dependent on the occupational context.