Gender quotas stem from good intentions, but they ultimately undermine women’s hard work. They signal that women cannot reach high-level leadership positions without special treatment, and sustain the lie that sexism is the primary driver of disparities in workplace outcomes. Quotas often result in less-experienced boards and fail to help women throughout the workforce (outside of a few elite women at the top). Women should be supported in their different career choices, even if that means that fewer women than men reach the boardroom. We should celebrate those choices and work to ensure equal opportunities for all women, not equal outcomes.
