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Ambitious Women Natalie Luke

Gendered Language in Politics: How Words Shape Our Perception of Female Leaders

In late July 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris garnered the backing of most Democratic delegates, positioning her as the party’s presidential nominee. While most celebrated, others called her the “Childless Cat Lady.” This derogatory label not only demeans her personal choices but also highlights a broader issue: the impact of gendered and demeaning language. Such language shapes our perception of female leaders and reinforces harmful stereotypes.

The Historical Context of Gendered Language

Gendered language is not a new phenomenon. Historically, women in leadership have faced derogatory remarks that aim to undermine their authority and capabilities. From labeling powerful women as “hysterical” or “emotional” to using terms like “childless cat lady,” these words carry significant weight and impact.

For instance, during Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as the UK Prime Minister, she was often described using gendered language that highlighted her femininity in a pejorative manner. Similarly, Hillary Clinton faced a barrage of sexist comments during her presidential campaigns, which focused on her appearance, voice, and personal life rather than her policies and qualifications.

The Impact on Women in Leadership

The use of gendered language perpetuates stereotypes that women are less capable or less serious than their male counterparts. It reinforces the notion that a woman’s worth is tied to her adherence to traditional gender roles, such as motherhood or marital status. This not only affects public perception but also impacts women’s self-perception and ambition.

While women receive labels like “hysterical” or “emotional,” I’ve seen men who pound angrily on the table or scream at the top of their lungs to the point that everyone in the building can hear them being excused because they are considered “passionate” or “assertive.” This double standard further highlights women’s challenges in being taken seriously as leaders.

Research shows that women who are subjected to gendered language and stereotypes in the workplace are less likely to pursue leadership roles. They may internalize these negative messages, leading to self-doubt and diminished capability. This creates a cycle where fewer women aspire to leadership positions and those who do face additional barriers. It’s a matter of women internally measuring the cost and benefits of moving into leadership roles. The cost of enduring name-calling outweighs the benefits of becoming the leader she dreams of being.

The Case of Vice President Harris

The recent comments about Vice President Harris being a “childless cat lady” are a stark reminder of women’s ongoing challenges in becoming the leaders they were meant to be. These remarks attempt to diminish her professional achievements and send a message to other ambitious women: your personal choices will be used against you.

Such language is particularly harmful because it trivializes Harris’s extensive career and contributions. Instead of focusing on her policies, leadership skills, and achievements, the conversation is diverted to her personal life. This shift in focus undermines her authority and distracts from the real issues.

Step Up to the Challenge

We must challenge and change the narrative surrounding women in leadership. Recognizing and calling out gendered language when we encounter it is crucial. Doing so can help create a more equitable and respectful environment for all leaders, regardless of gender.

We want to hear from you! How has gendered language affected your professional life or ambitions? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below or send us a voicemail. We can shed light on these issues together and work towards a more inclusive future.

Career Development Natalie Luke

Unlocking Your Potential: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs to Build Your Dream Career

Have you ever caught yourself daydreaming about your dream career, only to be halted by thoughts like, “I’m not good enough,” or “I don’t have what it takes”? If so, you’re not alone.

Many of us grapple with limiting beliefs that undermine our confidence and hinder us from pursuing our desired careers. The good news is that these beliefs can be challenged and overcome. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the common limiting beliefs that hold individuals back from building their dream careers and provide actionable strategies to unlock your potential.

Identifying the Culprits: Common Limiting Beliefs

Limiting beliefs are negative thoughts or assumptions about ourselves, our abilities, and our potential for success. These beliefs can be deeply ingrained, often stemming from past experiences, societal pressures, or fear of failure. Some common limiting beliefs that might be familiar include:

  1. Imposter Syndrome: The feeling that you don’t deserve your achievements and are just pretending to be competent.
  2. Fear of Failure: The belief that failure is catastrophic and should be avoided at all costs.
  3. Comparisons to Others: Constantly comparing yourself to others and feeling inadequate.
  4. False Belief in Lack of Skills: Believing that you need more skills or qualifications to pursue your dream career.

Empowering Strategies to Overcome Limiting Beliefs

  1. Self-Awareness: Begin by identifying your limiting beliefs. Write them down and reflect on where they originated. Understanding their roots can help you challenge their validity.
  2. Positive Affirmations: Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. For example, if you think, “I’m not smart enough,” counteract it with, “I am capable of learning and growing,” “I am constantly learning and growing,” “I possess unique talents and strengths that contribute to my success,” “I can acquire new skills and knowledge whenever I choose to,” “I am capable of tackling challenges and finding creative solutions,” and “My intelligence is not fixed; I can improve and excel with dedication and effort.”
  3. Embrace Failure as Learning: Shift your perspective about failure. Instead of fearing it, see failure as a stepping stone toward growth and improvement.
  4. Set Realistic Goals: Break down your dream career into smaller, achievable goals. This helps you focus on progress and boosts your confidence as you accomplish each milestone.
  5. Seek Support: Surround yourself with a supportive network of mentors, friends, and colleagues who can provide encouragement and constructive feedback.

Real-Life Success Stories: Inspiration in Action

Let’s look at a real-life success story to show you that overcoming limiting beliefs is possible. Jane Smith, a once self-doubting artist, battled the idea that she wasn’t good enough to make a living from her art. She silenced her inner critic through consistent positive affirmations, seeking professional development opportunities, and joining an artist’s community. She built a successful art career that fulfills her creative aspirations.

Know your dream career is within reach, and overcoming limiting beliefs is the key to unlocking your potential. Recognizing and challenging these beliefs, practicing positive affirmations, and seeking support can transform self-doubt into self-confidence and turn your aspirations into reality. Remember, your journey might have setbacks, but each step you take toward your dream career brings you closer to a fulfilling and purpose-driven life.

Seeking assistance in recognizing your limiting beliefs? Access my complimentary ‘Uncovering Limiting Beliefs’ journaling exercise for guidance. Download it now and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

Download Your Free “Identification and Clearing Limiting Beliefs” Tool Here
Career Development Natalie Luke

How Mary Dealt with Unconscious Gender Bias

Mary, a highly competent employee, had achieved great success in her position, but then she could sense a change in her corporation over time. She noticed she was being treated differently than her male colleagues, receiving less recognition for her work, getting passed over for promotions, and being given fewer essential tasks.

At first, she wasn’t sure if gender bias was happening and if it was in her imagination. She decided to pay closer attention to how she was treated and documented suspicious incidents.

Upon documenting various activities, Mary noticed a pattern and realized she was being treated differently because of her gender. Mary was not receiving the same treatment as her male counterparts. For example, she was given fewer responsibilities and opportunities. Mary was also treated with less respect. Her male colleagues were given more recognition for their work, and even when they were working on similar projects, the men were given more resources than she was. Mary also noticed folks making assumptions or comments about gender roles, for example, “You seem to be emotional about that issue.” And “Boy, you worked late last night, aren’t you the workaholic?”

What are two different forms of gender bias?

Gender bias is a form of prejudice or discrimination based on a person’s gender. It can be either overt or unconscious. Overt gender bias is when someone is openly biased against someone based on gender. This bias is usually pronounced and can be verbal or physical harassment. Unconscious gender bias is when someone is unaware they are biased against a person based on gender. This type of bias is more subtle and often occurs without the person realizing it.

Both overt and unconscious gender bias can have a negative impact on individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. Overt gender bias can lead to discrimination in the workplace, educational opportunities, and other areas of life. Unconscious gender bias can lead to a lack of diversity in decision-making and representation in leadership roles. Both types of bias can also lead to a lack of trust and respect among members of society, which can have far-reaching consequences.


What did Mary do as a result of unconscious gender bias?

Mary was worried about bringing the issue to her boss. On the one hand, Mary knew that speaking up would bring attention to the problem of gender bias and help to create change in her organization. On the other hand, she felt intimidated, what if her boss didn’t recognize the situation for what it was? Mary felt there was a risk of retaliation.

Mary decided to speak up and to do so effectively and respectfully. Mary knew that even though it was intimidating, it was also important to let those involved know that their behavior hurt the organization by shutting down creative ideas. Mary decided to speak up when she felt comfortable doing so. She wanted to feel confident that bringing attention to gender bias would not negatively affect her relationship with the person, so her comments were primarily private.

Mary started by asking questions or making statements to challenge the behaviors. For example, she asked, “Why would you assume that I can’t perform that project?” or “How do you think Sally felt when you made that comment?”

Even though it was difficult, Mary felt rewarded for saying something because, in the end, she wanted to create an environment where everyone felt respected and valued. By Mary recognizing and addressing unconscious gender bias at work, Mary did her part in creating a more equitable workplace.

What you should know…

Gender bias is an issue that has been present in the workplace for far too long. It is an issue that can be difficult to recognize and address, especially for those who are not part of the human resources department. However, it is possible for individuals not in HR to recognize and address unconscious gender bias at work.

The first step is to recognize the signs of unconscious gender bias. This can be tricky because it is not always obvious. Some signs to look out for gender-specific include language, such as referring to a group of people as “guys” or “ladies.” Additionally, look out for subtle differences in how tasks are allocated, such as tasks being assigned to men more often than women and vice versa.

Once you have identified unconscious gender bias, the next step is to address the issue. This can be done in a variety of ways. The most important thing is to be open and honest about your concerns. Speak up and let those involved know their inappropriate behavior needs to stop. Additionally, being aware of and challenging your biases when they arise is crucial.

Finally, creating an environment where everyone feels respected and valued is essential. This can be done by ensuring everyone is given equal opportunities and that the workplace is free from discrimination. Additionally, provide training and resources to ensure everyone knows the importance of diversity and inclusion.

By recognizing and addressing unconscious gender bias at work, nonhuman resource individuals can help create a more equitable workplace. By doing so, they can ensure that everyone is treated fairly and given the same opportunities to succeed.

Would you like tips and tools for feeling confident? Check out the resources page for free tools.

Confidence Building Natalie Luke

Lessons From Florida Gulf Coast University

On February 6 and 7th of 2023, I was honored to speak to the STEM students and faculty of Florida Golf Coast University (FGCU) thanks to my new friend Dr. Laura Frost, the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at FGCU. Undoubtedly, Dr. Frost is notable because she advocates for women faculty members and students in STEM fields.

Academics are biased against women, especially married women.

Dr. Frost’s work is important because only 23 to 25% of competitive faculty grants went to women in 2007. Comparatively, a majority (54%-63%) of NIH or NSF predoctoral awards were given to women in 2007. Research shows that many women drop out of academic pursuits before attaining tenure. In fact, marriage and having children dramatically lower a woman’s chances of achieving tenure in the academic sector, with her chances being 35% lower than men who start a family and 33% lower than single women.1

Why is it so hard for women, especially married women, to succeed academically? It’s complex but boils down to an antiquated structure biased against women.

I’ve heard from several women and their difficult experiences in academics. Before the FGCU talk, I interviewed other women who spoke of their heartbreaking stories during graduate school and throughout the tenure process.

Treat gender bias with diplomacy and people with respect.

My talk’s main focus was to know that those with gender bias are ignorant yet must be treated with respect. While my viewpoint is simplistic, there is a method to my madness.

I believe those guilty of gender bias are either ignorant or self-serving.

Assuming all those who are gender biased are self-serving puts you in danger of causing the innocent of having a bruised ego. Those with a bruised ego resist learning. Instead, the job is to educate the innocent and enter a pissing contest with those who are self-serving.

A pissing contest involves either going for distance or time. Going for distance involves having a full bladder and then pushing out all your vinegar and anger as quickly as possible to make sure you hit your mark, influencing all those around you in your favor. Going for time is more calculating. Going for time involves dribbling your message for a long time, influencing all you can.

I’ve always performed better going for time than distance. Therefore, I advocated for treating ignorance with diplomacy and treating people with respect.

Notice I don’t advocate ignoring gender bias. Giving up on our dreams does just that. I support the diplomatic method of calling out bias as the best method of addressing it. Such behavior requires emotional maturity, confidence, and an inner knowing that we will succeed in achieving our dreams. It requires quiet strength and tremendous faith in ourselves, our future, and those we want to influence.

Treat ignorance as if it’s simply an objection that needs to be overcome.

My viewpoint is counterintuitive and emotionally challenging to execute. How would you treat ignorance respectfully, especially when dealing with gross unfairness?

It’s a path worth pursuing because research shows that others, especially black women, have navigated bias with diplomacy and succeeded.2

My viewpoint also comes from my experience in sales and marketing. I’ve learned you can’t close a sale by “fighting” against customer objections. Instead, I’ve always sought to understand a person’s objections, view objections as a misunderstanding, then strived to educate.

I believe we can use the same process to combat gender bias. We have a product to deliver: our intellect and ability to obtain grants, and those with gender bias are missing out on the outcomes we can provide the University. Those with gender bias who think we can’t deliver when we get married or have children are mistaken. We can deliver, abet, sometimes on a longer timetable.

Be your own champion.

We can expose gender bias diplomatically. Still, as we do so, it is also vital that we clean up our side of the street by ensuring we maintain confidence in ourselves and our abilities by not thinking too small, preparing constructively for success, being our best advocates, and building a network of supporters who will advocate for us when we are not in the room.

How did people respond to the message?

Some attendees felt the message was over-simplistic and that we needed to go deeper. And they were correct; we can go deeper.

Other participants left with a greater sense of self-belief, saying that they were more determined to do the following:

  • Know it’s okay to follow their intuition.
  • To pursue their dreams despite self-doubt or pushback from others.
  • Even though going for a goal is scary and there is self-doubt, still go for it.
  • When there is a challenge or setback, keep your head high, stay dignified, and keep going for it.

Still, other attendees also reported that reflecting on their own lives was essential. After hearing the talk, they decided to stop and think about how to change the situation rather than give up and give into their problems.

I loved my time with the incredible women of FGCU, and I hope these women continue to exert self-confidence as they pursue their dreams.

Check out the resource page to explore tools to motivate you to achieve your dreams.

  1. Goulden, M., Mason, M. A. and Frasch, K., Keeping Women in the Science Pipeline, The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 638, no. 1, pp. 141–62, 2011. DOI: 10.1177/0002716211416925
  2. Gause, S. A. F., Black Women’s Resiliency in Community College Leadership, Journal of Education Human Resources, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 386–409, 2022. DOI: 10.3138/jehr-2021-0012