Democracy in America | Women and work

What's holding women back?

Americans think highly of women, but remain reluctant to promote them to leadership roles

By E.W. | WASHINGTON, DC

IN 2015 the promise of gender equality seems closer than ever. A new report by the Pew Research Centre shows that the majority of Americans think women are just as capable of being good political and business leaders as men. They are perceived as indistinguishable from their male peers when it comes to leadership qualities such as intelligence and capacity for innovation. On other qualities—honesty, fairness, compassion and willingness to compromise—many Americans actually judge women as superior.

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