Men are more likely to support women leaders who uphold the status quo rather than challenge gender inequality, according to new research highlighting a persistent double standard in leadership.
The study, published in the British Journal of Social Psychology, found that while men generally favour female over male leadership candidates, that support is conditional and tends to disappear when women advocate for social change.
Researchers examined how men and women evaluated leadership candidates who either supported existing workplace norms or pushed for greater gender equality.
Men consistently preferred women who reinforced the status quo over those who challenged it. By contrast, male candidates who supported the status quo were actually penalised, while female evaluators showed no strong preference either way.
Researchers say women face a strategic dilemma in male-dominated workplaces where they can choose to fit in by downplaying inequality, or “rock the boat” which could leave them to be judged more harshly.
The study suggests that men often act as gatekeepers in leadership selection processes, influencing not just who gets ahead, but under what conditions. It adds to growing evidence that gender bias in leadership is not always overt, and often comes through in subtle expectations about how women should behave once they reach the top.
“These findings highlight subtle mechanisms through which gendered power dynamics are maintained, underscoring both the strategic trade-offs women must navigate to advance and the conditional nature of men’s support for gender equality,” the researchers said.
The researchers said there were practical implications of the findings, including highlighting the “double bind” women face in masculine organisations.
“Women are expected to promote gender equality and show communal behaviour, yet those who do so—hereby challenging the status quo—are less likely to be selected for leadership. Conversely, women who align with masculine norms and distance themselves from other women may advance but risk being labelled “queen bees”,” they said.
“This trade‐off means that gaining leadership through male approval can come at the cost of peer support, hindering women’s ability to build the networks needed to succeed.”