Few fields in the west are as gendered, or as prominent in our collective cultural consciousness, as that of finance. Of course, the American art of professionalism is deeply rooted in sociability and collaboration; it is unsurprising, then, that a vast nexus of performative and psychological gendered norms characterizes the American business world in precisely the same manner that it characterizes most other facets of our social and cultural existence. Nevertheless, we are currently live through an extraordinary era of progress and change, and women in the United States are making remarkable strides towards workforce equality every single day. In the last ten years alone, the percentage of women working high-profile jobs has increased by roughly 20 percent: an incredible triumph for women who aspire to professional careers instead of or in addition to domestic responsibilities. In the hundreds of American startups and companies that are currently either owned or supervised by women, the contemporary world can catch glimpses of the rising potential for a new and better financial society, in which any person of any gender has an equal opportunity for success and satisfaction in business.
Of course, it is impossible to say exactly when or how the increased presence of women in the American workforce began; however, one significant event in the past decade was the publication of Google COO Sheryl Sandberg's 2013 novel, Lean In. Although many texts had been written before on the subject of female professionalism, Sandberg is one of the first and most prolific contemporary figures to outline the manner in which women can pursue fulfilling financial careers in the same manner as their male counterparts, without surrendering the obligations and joys of their personal and familial lives. Scores of American women have cited Sandberg's text as a primary inspiration for their professional endeavors, and give Sandberg herself particular credit for helping them acquire the confidence to engage fearlessly in competitive environments, and even consider begin companies of their own. In the years following the publication of Lean In, countless female professionals have followed in her footsteps by publishing studies, novels, memoirs, and newspaper articles of their own, hoping to similarly inspire everyday women to view themselves as capable of entering professional fields.
Of course, the fight for gender equality in the workforce is far from finished—even now, women start small business at just half the men do, and nationwide equal pay for equal work in the United States is neither a financial nor a legislative reality. Nevertheless, the speed and consistency with which gender conditions in the workforce have improved in the past 20 years is almost unprecedented in American history. Even more encouragingly, several studies have found that the increasing number of women with professional careers, and the corresponding manner in which household and workplace labor is starting to be divided between men and women in heterosexual marriages, results in overall happiness and satisfaction rates for both men and women alike. Despite a number of obstacles that we have yet to face, the American business world is moving closer towards becoming a fully meritocratic and equitable workforce every single day.