Utah was recently ranked the worst state for women’s equality by WalletHub, citing issues like the gender pay gap and a lack of women in leadership. But local advocates aren’t backing down from the challenge, however daunting it may be.
The Utah Women & Leadership Project, or UWLP, is looking deeper into these disparities with its latest research.
It released the second of six white papers as part of a statewide study. Titled “Women in the Workplace: Part 2,” the report focuses on four key areas: Entrepreneurship, Workforce Development, STEM Fields and Leadership Development.
The study supports the efforts of A Bolder Way Forward, a statewide movement dedicated to helping women and girls in Utah thrive.
One of its major goals is to close the leadership gap by expanding opportunities for women.
Susan Madsen, an author of the Utah Women & Leadership Project report, explained that social norms shape leadership perceptions. These norms impact how women see themselves as leaders and how others see them too.
“We have to start with messages when they're babies and little kids: to say it's important for our girls and our boys to find their voices, to do the right things, to be educated, and to learn to be leaders. We need everybody,” she said.
The study surveyed 4,721 people, including 1,123 men, to gauge awareness and concerns about challenges facing Utah women.
Some encouraging statistics from the study found that:
- 76.6% of women respondents expressed a desire to be leaders, with the highest agreement coming from women ages 18-54
- Women who agreed that there were opportunities and resources for leadership development increased from 58.9% in 2023 to 73.5% in 2024
Now the mission is all about getting more women into the powerful roles they dream of.
“We need to put more energy into that gap between aspirations and action," Madsen said.
Shirlayne Quayle, a leader in the initiative’s Leadership Development Spoke, emphasized the need to recognize women’s leadership roles more widely.
“A lot of leadership roles that women hold aren’t always recognized,” Quayle said.
She talked about how women often do the behind-the-scenes work at church and home without receiving recognition as leaders.
But at the same time, she emphasized the importance of increasing the number of women in politics, government and business.
“Research shows that having more women in leadership leads to greater success across the board," Quayle said.
One example of this is a study conducted by Catalyst Inc. that analyzed 2,360 companies. The study found that globally, companies with a market capitalization of over $10 billion and women on their boards outperformed similar businesses with all-male boards by 26%.
Engaging male allies is another critical step.
The Bolder Way Forward movement has launched a male allyship curriculum to help men advocate for women in leadership and foster more inclusive workplaces and communities.
“Once we have a common language, we can move forward together more effectively,” Quayle explained.
The curriculum, available for free, provides men with the tools and language necessary to advocate for women in leadership, fostering a more inclusive environment in workplaces and communities.
Lily Brady, a pre-media arts major at BYU, shared her perspective on the importance of female leadership, particularly in the media industry in which she aspires to work.
“At BYUtv, I’ve been fortunate to have incredible female mentors who’ve shown me that women do have a place in entertainment,” Brady said. “This support has reinforced my belief that female leadership is essential for the industry’s evolution.”
Brady said she once had a complicated relationship with leadership but now feels capable and confident in such roles.
“I truly believe that the more women step up and embrace leadership roles, the more we’ll see female leaders emerge in all areas of the industry,” she said.
As more women embrace leadership roles, the more promising the future of Utah’s workforce and industries look.