Brass¹ ceiling is an imaginary barrier which stops women from progressing in their careers within the military and law enforcement.

 

Brass ceiling（黄铜天花板）指存在于军队和执法部门中、阻止女性进一步升迁的一个无形障碍。

 

The term is a play on glass ceiling, which refers to the unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate² ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements. The word ‘brass’ here symbolizes³ the uniform of military and law enforcement officers because traditionally all the buttons in their uniforms are made of brass.

 

Brass ceiling一词是由glass ceiling（玻璃天花板）演化而来的，后者指不顾资质和成绩，阻碍少数民族和女性在职场升迁的一道无形又难以打破的障碍。这里的brass一词就代表军队和执法部门的制服，因为他们的制服纽扣都是用黄铜做的。

 

For example:

 

The appointment of the first woman to command the Air Force Academy marks another breach⁴ of the "brass ceiling" that keeps women from top assignments in the military.

首次任命女性统领空军学院标志着对黄铜天花板的又一次破击，黄铜天花板阻止女性在军中担任要职。

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