When Men Speak for Women: The Hidden Problem Hurting Workplace Equality in 2025

A property management strategist's perspective on amplifying women's voices instead of replacing them

The Pattern I Can't Unsee

This year, I've noticed something troubling across professional networks, industry conferences, and workplace discussions: more and more men are speaking for women rather than amplifying our voices.

On the surface, this looks admirable. A male colleague uses his LinkedIn platform to call out gender discrimination. A male executive shares women's stories about workplace inequities, leadership barriers, or safety concerns at industry events.

Their intentions are often genuine. They're trying to be supportive allies. But here's what stops me in my tracks: when they tell our stories, engagement skyrockets. Comments pour in. Shares multiply.

When a woman shares the same experience or insight? Crickets. Not even a fraction of the visibility or validation.

Why This Matters for Women in Leadership

As a property management strategist who has worked in male-dominated business environments for over 20 years, I've witnessed this dynamic repeatedly. It's not just frustrating—it's harmful to women's professional advancement and workplace equality.

The Conference Reality

At industry conferences, I've watched male speakers receive standing ovations for saying "women deserve a seat at the table"—then seen women panelists on the very next session get interrupted, talked over, or ignored when sharing their expertise.

In property management specifically, I've observed male brokers praised for advocating for "women in the industry" while the women property managers actually doing the work—the ones with real-world experience and solutions—barely receive acknowledgment when they share their insights.

It's the same message with a different messenger... and completely different reception.

The Social Media Amplification Problem

This phenomenon is particularly pronounced on professional social media platforms. A woman entrepreneur will share a thoughtful post about workplace challenges drawn from personal experience—receiving minimal engagement. Hours later, a man reposts similar content or echoes the same sentiment, and suddenly the likes, comments, and shares explode.

The message hasn't changed. The expertise hasn't improved. The only difference? The gender of the messenger.

The Modern Mansplaining: Visibility Edition

I don't believe most men engaging in this behavior intend harm. However, impact matters more than intent. This pattern reinforces the problematic idea that women's stories, experiences, and expertise only carry weight when validated or retold by men.

It's the modern evolution of mansplaining—not necessarily in tone or delivery, but in visibility and credibility. Our voices get amplified only when filtered through male perspectives.

What Real Allyship Looks Like

Authentic allyship in the workplace looks fundamentally different from speaking for women. True allies focus on amplification rather than replacement.

Real workplace allyship includes:

• Using your platform to boost women's original content instead of reposting their stories as your own
• Stepping back in meetings and discussions so women can step forward and be heard directly
• Actively directing attention to women's expertise rather than summarizing it secondhand
• Creating space for women to speak for themselves in leadership rooms and decision-making processes
• Challenging interruptions and ensuring women's voices are heard in real-time

The Root Causes: Algorithm or Bias?

Why does this pattern persist in 2025? Several factors likely contribute:

Social Media Algorithms

Platform algorithms may inadvertently favor content from users with historically higher engagement (often men in leadership positions), creating a visibility cycle that's difficult to break.

Unconscious Bias

Audiences may unconsciously assign more credibility to men discussing workplace issues, even when women have more direct experience with those challenges.

Cultural Conditioning

Despite decades of progress, many professional environments still carry cultural reflexes that defer to male voices on "important" business topics.

Network Effects

Men in senior positions often have larger professional networks, leading to organic amplification that women's posts may not receive.

The Cost to Organizations and Women's Careers

This dynamic creates real professional consequences:

• Reduced visibility for women thought leaders in their respective industries
• Diminished opportunities for speaking engagements and board positions
• Slower career advancement for women with valuable expertise
• Perpetuation of gender imbalances in leadership discussions
• Loss of diverse perspectives in critical business decisions

Moving Forward: Questions for Reflection

The solution isn't complex, but it requires conscious effort from both men and women in professional settings.

For male allies: Before sharing a woman's story or experience, ask yourself: Could I amplify her original voice instead? Can I use my platform to direct attention to her expertise rather than summarizing it?

For women: How can we better support each other's visibility? Are we engaging with and sharing content from other women in our industries?

For organizations: What systems can we implement to ensure women's voices are heard directly in meetings, conferences, and decision-making processes?

The Bottom Line

Maybe the question isn't "Why aren't women speaking up in the workplace?"

Maybe it's "Why aren't we listening when they do?"

Women should be the primary voices telling our own stories—in boardrooms, at conferences, in leadership discussions, and on professional platforms. We should be encouraged and supported to speak up, even when our perspectives challenge the status quo.

When we do speak, our words should carry the same weight, reach, and impact as when anyone else shares similar insights.

Your Experience Matters

Have you witnessed this dynamic in your industry, company, or professional network? What changes do you think are necessary to ensure women's voices carry equal weight when we speak for ourselves?

Ready to build a workplace culture that truly amplifies women's voices? Schedule a free strategy session to discuss creating authentic leadership environments that support everyone's success.

Stacey Salyer is a property management strategist and former acquisition analyst with over 20 years of experience in business leadership. She helps entrepreneurs build profitable, sustainable operations through authentic leadership approaches. Connect with her on LinkedIn or learn more about her Strategic Cohort Program.