Kaya Drive: Assumed male dominance in the workplace

By: Natasha Archary

“Assumed male dominance” is a term coined to distinguish the often blatant disregard men have toward female colleagues in conversations. Whether it’s work related or in a social setting, men converse differently to women than they do with other men.

Male dominated industries are unfortunately still a challenge for women entering the workplace. Men and women have different experiences for their integration into the work environment.

While the differences have been “man-splained” to Sizwe’s point about respecting boundaries, especially in relation to women, there may be a valid reason for this.

However, we’re not just talking about maintaining a professional working relationship with colleagues of the opposite gender. Avoiding a sexual harassment case is a valid reason for why men may communicate differently with women.

When a female colleague is continuously interrupted by her male peers or he “breaks down” her argument in “simpler terms”, it’s not only condescending but unprofessional.

Assumed male dominance

In an article Nelson Mullins called assumed male dominance a hidden disease. One that is blatantly sexist and often undermines a woman in the workplace.

According to Mullins, a man wouldn’t just interrupt another man while he’s talking. He would wait for his male counterpart to finish his point before jumping in.

Perhaps the “bro-code” or “bro-culture” calls men to order when engaging with other men. There’s a certain respect that is naturally present between both men.

A hidden understanding if you will, which is absent when a man is in a conversation with a woman.

Listener responses on the topic highlighted the disparities in workplace conversations.

The number of women who recounted that they get hit on by male co-workers is an indication of just how unfair an advantage exists between men and women.

Many women wondered if they were just hired to be office eye-candy. Sharing with Sizwe and the Kaya Drive team that they have to work harder than their male colleagues to prove their worth and abilities.

“I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve been called “sweetie” and “honey” or been treated like I’m not in a leadership role. It’s a double whammy for being female and looking much younger than I actually am. The look on men’s faces when I tell them I’m the manager is sometimes surprise, sometimes embarrassment.”
Kaya Drive listener on how men in her workplace relate to her

Listen to the conversation on Kaya Drive:

Wed 16:09:30 to 16:25:06 Kaya FM 95.9

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“I have to show up to work with a game face on every day. I have to prove that I am capable and deserve to be in my place of work to the men passing through. But that respect is inherently earned by my male colleagues.”
Another response from a Kaya Drive listener

Shine a light on gender disparities

Women are encouraged to speak out about gender disparities in the workplace. Approaching HR to facilitate dialogue or run a workshop on office conduct may be the best way to go about this.

Also read: Kaya Drive: What to do when colleagues beef