Glass Ceiling
Noun · Hacker Culture
Definitions
An invisible barrier that prevents people, often women or marginalized groups, from advancing to higher levels despite apparent formal openness. In workplace culture the phrase is used to describe structural inequality that is obvious in outcomes even when nobody states the rule out loud.
In plain English: An unseen barrier that keeps certain people from advancing.
Example: "The leadership team could not keep denying a glass ceiling once promotion data showed who consistently stalled at the same level despite strong performance."