Glass ceiling

A glass ceiling is an invisible barrier that keeps a given demographic - typically applied to women - from rising beyond a certain level in a hierarchy.

The metaphor was first coined by feminists in reference to barriers in the careers of high-achieving women. In the US, the concept is sometimes extended to refer to obstacles hindering the advancement of minority men, as well as women. For Asia, as well as Asian-American workers, they have coined the term "bamboo ceiling".