lavender ceiling

[ lav-uhn-der see-ling ]

noun

1. an upper limit to professional advancement imposed upon LGBTQ+ people that is not readily perceived or openly acknowledged:

   He shattered the lavender ceiling when he became the first openly gay black man in the state to be elected to public office.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lavender ceiling¹

First recorded in 2000–05

Example Sentences

She described ceilings she’d painted in verdant green and soft blue, and highlighted some of her favorite rooms by other designers, including a bathroom by designer Amanda Nisbet with white walls and a lavender ceiling.

From Seattle Times