Masculinity, status, and subordination: Why working for a gender stereotype violator causes men to lose status

Occupying gender stereotype-incongruent roles can lead individuals to lose status and earn a lower salary. The present research examined whether merely working for a supervisor in a gender-atypical occupational role leads a subordinate to lose status. Two studies found that male subordinates of gender deviants (i.e., a female supervisor in a masculine domain or a male supervisor in a feminine domain) were accorded lower status and were paid less than male subordinates of supervisors in gender-congruent roles (i.e., a female supervisor in a feminine domain or a male supervisor in a masculine domain). However, the status of female subordinates was unaffected by working for a gender atypical supervisor. Moreover, the status loss for male subordinates was mediated by a perceived lack of masculinity. Thus, establishing the male subordinate's masculine credentials eliminated the bias.

► Occupying gender stereotype-incongruent roles can lead individuals to lose status and earn a lower salary.
► We show that merely working for a supervisor in a gender-atypical occupational role leads male subordinates to lose status.
► The status loss for male subordinates was mediated by a perceived lack of masculinity.
► Establishing the male subordinate's masculine credentials eliminated the bias.