Nine in 10 Americans have seen manosphere or tradwife content, and the beliefs promoted in those online spaces may be showing up in how men view women as colleagues and leaders.
A new Lean In report finds that men who frequently view this content are more likely to believe men are naturally better suited for leadership and women are too emotional for high-pressure roles. The survey also points to a workplace concern: six in 10 employees have heard comments reflecting these attitudes at work.
Men Are More Likely to Question Women’s Leadership Abilities
The survey found that 91% of men and 88% of women in the U.S. have encountered manosphere or tradwife content.
Men were nearly twice as likely as women to agree with beliefs that undermine women’s professional capabilities:
- 42% of men said men are naturally better suited for leadership, compared with 22% of women.
- 34% said women are too emotional for high-pressure roles, compared with 18% of women.
Support for the idea that men are being asked to do too much to support gender equality has also increased among U.S. men, rising from 44% in 2019 to 53%.
Frequent Viewers Are More Likely to Hold Sexist Workplace Beliefs
Men who frequently view manosphere or tradwife content were more than three times as likely as infrequent viewers to agree that men make better leaders (58% versus 19%) and that women are too emotional for high-pressure roles (50% versus 14%).
The association also appeared among men who said they did not find tradwife content appealing. Frequent viewers in this group were more likely to say women are too emotional, men are better suited to lead, and women should put family before paid work.
The survey identifies an association between viewing habits and these beliefs. It does not establish that the content causes men to adopt them.
Sexist Comments Are Affecting Women’s Workplace Experiences
Six in 10 employees said they had heard manosphere-coded comments at work. Women who encountered these remarks more often were also more likely to receive gender-biased feedback.
Among women who had heard at least three such comments, 26% had been told they were too emotional, compared with 4% of women who had heard none. They were also four times as likely to be told they were not seen as leaders, at 21% versus 5%.
The beliefs were especially common among senior men who frequently encountered tradwife content. In that group, 78% agreed that men are naturally better suited for leadership, compared with 42% of men overall.
Research Points to the Business Costs of Gender Bias
Research cited by Lean In suggests companies can benefit financially from having women in senior roles. One study found that return on assets increased 3% within two years when a woman replaced a man as CEO. Another found companies with women holding at least 15% of senior management positions had 18% higher return on equity than companies with fewer than 10%.
Other research links women’s representation in leadership to greater innovation and more patents. Studies have also associated women CEOs with more ethical decision-making and lower corporate risk-taking.
Gender bias can carry costs beyond individual workplaces. The report points to estimates that the U.S. economy could grow an additional 4.2% if women’s workforce participation reached levels seen in comparable countries.
Companies Can Challenge Bias Through Leadership Practices
Lean In recommends that employers address sexist comments rather than allowing them to pass unchallenged. Senior leaders, particularly men, can help set expectations by calling out biased behavior and applying consistent standards in hiring, promotions, raises, and performance reviews.
The organization also encourages parents to discuss gender equality with boys and ask what they encounter online. For women at work, keeping a record of accomplishments and measurable results can help counter feedback that relies on stereotypes about their emotions or leadership abilities.
The findings suggest online gender narratives are reaching beyond social media. When those beliefs enter workplace conversations and performance evaluations, they can influence who is seen as capable of leading and who gets the opportunity to advance.
