The Queen Bee Syndrome refers to a situation where high-ranking women in positions of authority treat other women who work in positions below them more critically than their male counterparts. I want to dissect and perhaps make you think differently about the perception of women in the workplace, who do not fit the “script” or present with characteristics that are stereotypically aligned with what it means to be a woman in society.

I posit that the Queen Bee phenomenon is rooted in differed gendered expectations between men and women. Women, even in the workplace, are expected to present with “feminine” leaning traits such as sensitivity, empathy, care, or tenderness. These gendered expectations are problematic and are deeply rooted in patriarchy and thus problematise women who do not subscribe to these stereotypical notions of how a woman should behave. These women in the workplace, are vilified and referred to as Queen Bees...