UPDATE: Women are dramatically increasing their visibility on LinkedIn by changing their gender presentation, sparking a viral conversation about bias on the platform. Megan Cornish, a mental health professional, transformed her LinkedIn profile to appear more masculine and saw her impressions quadruple in just a week.
The startling results of Cornish’s experiment have ignited a wave of discussions about gender bias in professional spaces. “I wish I was kidding about this,” Cornish wrote on LinkedIn, explaining how she used ChatGPT to adjust her profile language. After rephrasing her content, replacing terms like “communicator” with “driving ethical growth in behavioral health,” she saw a dramatic increase in engagement.
Women across LinkedIn are reporting similar experiences, stating that obscuring their gender or adopting more masculine language significantly boosts their visibility. This trend raises pressing questions about the underlying biases—both human and machine—that dictate professional visibility online.
In a statement, LinkedIn clarified that its algorithms do not account for demographic information such as age, race, or gender when determining content visibility. “Changing gender on your profile does not affect how your content appears in search or feed,” said Sakshi Jain, LinkedIn’s head of responsible AI and AI governance. However, the surge of women experimenting with their profiles illustrates a broader concern about systemic biases affecting professional opportunities.
LinkedIn is experiencing unprecedented growth, reporting a 15% year-over-year increase in posting activity and a 24% surge in comments, making it increasingly competitive for users to gain attention. As the platform caters to nearly 1 billion users, the visibility divide has become a critical issue.
Allison Elias, assistant professor at the University of Virginia, remarked on the implications of this trend: “The way that language or characteristics traditionally associated with women are devalued is embedded into our structural systems.” This bias contributes to the persistent wage gap, with women earning only 80.9 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to the latest Census Bureau data.
Cornish’s experience reflects a larger discourse on gender stereotypes influencing perceptions of professional competence. Carol Kulik, a workplace expert, noted that while LinkedIn denies algorithmic bias, it is clear that gendered language impacts user experience. “Business language is very male,” she stated, highlighting the challenges women face in navigating these biases.
The conversation is further complicated by intersectionality. Cass Cooper, a freelance writer and inclusion strategist, shared her own experiment where she adjusted her profile to appear as a White male, resulting in drastically reduced reach. “If we’re going to talk about bias, visibility, and influence online, we cannot pretend we all start from the same default settings,” Cooper emphasized.
As this trend continues, users like Rachel Maron, co-founder of the AI company Trustable, have reported significant gains in visibility after altering their profiles. Maron noted that her post impressions skyrocketed from fewer than 150 to 30,717 after changing her gender marker to male.
The implications of these findings are profound. Many women, including marketing executive Cindy Gallop, are questioning the evolving dynamics of LinkedIn’s algorithm. Gallop, who has used the platform for over 20 years, is concerned that her advocacy for women entrepreneurs is not receiving the same traction it once did, particularly after recent algorithm adjustments.
As LinkedIn’s algorithm becomes more complex, users are left grappling with how to navigate the platform effectively. This ongoing dialogue about gender representation and visibility on LinkedIn is not just about individual success; it reflects deeper societal values and biases that continue to shape professional landscapes.
As more users experiment with their profiles, the LinkedIn landscape may shift significantly, prompting a reevaluation of how professional opportunities are accessed and perceived. The urgency of addressing these biases cannot be overstated, as they directly impact women’s careers and livelihoods in an increasingly competitive job market.
