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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Sharon MavinORCiD
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This entry considers Queen Bee as a derogatory concept describing an individual woman in a senior position, perceived as not supporting other women in organizations. Seen as pulling up the career ladder behind her, women labelled as Queen Bees are constructed as bitches who sting other women if their power is threatened. Queen Bee is a sexist negative construction of individual women used by both women and men. There is no equivalent alternative for men. Queen Bee carries gendered assumptions that women should automatically support other women in organizations. When women do not conform they are labelled and blamed as Queen Bees. Unlike homosociality, men’s orientation to associate with other men, women’s day-to-day solidarity behaviour across management levels is uncommon. However, the use of Queen Bee has extended to any woman in organizations perceived as not supportive of other women and continues a ‘blame or fix the individual woman’ discourse
Author(s): Mavin S
Editor(s): J. Helms Mills, A.J. Mills, K.S. Williams & R. Bendl
Publication type: Book Chapter
Publication status: Published
Book Title: Elgar Encyclopedia on Gender in Management
Year: 2025
Pages: 375-376
Print publication date: 29/01/2025
Online publication date: 21/01/2025
Acceptance date: 24/10/2023
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Place Published: Cheltenham
URL: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781803922065.ch112
DOI: 10.4337/9781803922065
Library holdings: Search Newcastle University Library for this item
ISBN: 9781803922058
