Is Manning Up Enough For Womxn?

By Sabzara Ali

If you are a woman looking forward to pursuing a traditionally male-dominated profession, this simple strategy can increase your chances of being hired: Man Up. According to a recent study by Michigan State University, using male language to describe themselves in the application process can make women appear more suited for typically masculine jobs.

What is masculine language, and why is it favored in the workplace? 

 The patriarchal standards of masculinity have shaped the men’s language to a great extent. 

 Traditionally, men speak in a forceful, abstract, and authoritative way. Men, for example, are more likely to use direct imperatives such as, “Get it done”. Women, on the other hand, tend to use a tentative, indirect, and communal speech, relying on collaborative directives such as “let’s do it”. Since men have dominated the workplace for a long time, masculine styles have now become the gold standard for communicating in professional spaces.  As a result, women who use feminine language in the workplace are often seen as less competent. So, to be recognised at the workplace, women are often advised to switch to more “forceful language”, or to “man up.”

However, the question remains: does Manning Up actually fix all of the issues that women face in the workplace because of their unique speaking styles? In reality, no, because these masculine styles contradict the characteristics of socially acceptable feminine speech.  Thus, utilizing these styles diminishes women’s likeability in the workplace, which inturn can limit women’s professional advancement chances.

When women begin speaking like men, they have to face the social backlash for violating gender norms. Traditionally, men are expected to be “hardcore” and “tough” and women are expected to be “sensitive” and “soft spoken.” When women break these norms and switch to a more masculine style of speech , society usually dislikes them because these styles make them appear less feminine, and therefore, less of a woman. The Psychologist Linda Carli’s experiment provides evidence for this. In her experiment, she found that women who spoke assertively were seen as more competent and knowledgeable by the audiences, but they were less likable to both men and women.

The potential downside of appearing less likable might outweigh the benefits of coming across as more competent through the use of masculine language. This could particularly place women at a disadvantage in hiring processes . This is because women using masculine styles like assertiveness are often perceived as “bossy,” “rude,”  and dismissive of others’ perspectives. This inturn diminishes their perceived suitability for the workplace. In a meta analysis of dozens of studies, it was found that women who assert their ideas and advocate for themselves are often viewed as less hirable by managers. Although they are seen as equally competent, they are liked less than men who engage in the exact same behaviors.

Further, use of masculine language can attract negative feedback from the employers. Ultimately, this can make it harder for women to advance in their careers. It happens because women are evaluated more on their interpersonal traits such as likeability than on their actual skills. Therefore, it becomes important for women to care about how they sound.

By telling women to change their speech, we are reinforcing the notion that women’s speech is intrinsically flawed. This can make women feel that they are unfit for jobs traditionally held by men, which, in turn, can prevent them from considering these jobs. Psychologist Tanja Hentschel found that when employers use stereotypically masculine language in job ads, female candidates view these jobs as unwelcoming. They don’t apply as often and expect lower chances of success. 

Women contribute in workplaces all over the world. As such, the work force carries a responsibility to make changes in their working culture to ensure that women are not discriminated against because of their distinct speech styles. Workplaces should be open to different communication styles. Managers should be trained to recognize unconscious biases in professional language. Clear criteria for evaluating candidates should prioritize performance—not personality or communication style. And if communication metrics are necessary, these should focus on results. Recruiting ads should also use and be checked for gender-neutral language to encourage women to apply for these positions. 

We’re all entitled to express ourselves how we want, and especially through language. However, why do workplaces expect women to make compromises because of the sexism in so-called professional language. Rather than “manning up,” I think it’s time for the professional world to try womaning it up instead.

Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer 

• The author is a sophomore at Smith College 

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