The Authority Gap by Mary Ann Sieghart review – mocked, patronised and still paid less than men

Drawing on a wealth of research, Sieghart explores the unconscious bias that belittles and undermines half the population from infancy – and how it can be overcome

The authority gap is more insidious and harder to calculate

She (...) analyse and deconstruct this pervasive underestimation of women’s competence

eminent women

Sieghart considers whether there could be any merit in the idea that women are “naturally” less well suited to leadership

briskly debunks this

Girls report feeling deterred from pursuing a subject or career

As she begins to unpick this social conditioning, it becomes clear how deep-rooted and self-perpetuating the problem is

Boys are rewarded for pushing themselves forward and calling out, girls for being neat and quiet

Sieghart’s field of inquiry is broad

Older women are quietly shunted out of the public eye as their expertise increases

The many ways in which bias against women intersects with prejudices of class, race and disability.

Anticipating the anguish women readers will feel, Sieghart’s final chapter is titled No Need to Despair