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Are your professional networking connections recognizing you as a thought leader? Do numerous commenters praising your insights on expanding your venture? Do recruiters making contact to explore collaborations?

If not, the explanation might be that you're not male.

The Test: Changing Profile Gender for Better Visibility

Numerous women participated in an organized LinkedIn experiment this week after viral posts indicated that changing their profile gender to "man" boosted their network presence.

Other testers modified their profiles to include what they called "masculine-oriented" terminology - inserting results-driven professional jargon like "propel", "transform" and "expedite". Based on reports, their exposure also improved.

Algorithmic Bias Concerns Brought Up

The engagement increase has caused some to wonder whether a built-in sexism in LinkedIn's algorithm favors men who use online business jargon.

Like most major networking sites, LinkedIn utilizes an algorithm to determine which posts appear to which users - boosting some while reducing others.

Company Statement

In a recent company announcement, LinkedIn recognized the trend but stated it does not consider "personal characteristics" when determining post visibility. Instead, the company explained that "hundreds of signals" influence how posts are received.

Modifying profile gender on your profile does not influence how your posts shows up in search or feed.

Individual Results

Simone Bonnett, who changed her pronouns to "he/him" and her profile name to "a masculine version", described remarkable outcomes.

"The numbers I'm seeing show a sixteen-fold rise in visitor traffic and a thirteen-fold jump in content views," she commented.

Another professional, a communications strategist, began experimenting after observing her reach decrease substantially.

The Process

• First, she changed her profile gender to "male"
• Then, she used AI tools to rewrite her professional summary using "male-coded" language
• Lastly, she repurposed old posts with comparable "agentic" style

The result was instantaneous: a 415% increase in visibility within seven days.

The Downside

Despite the success, Cornish voiced unhappiness with the method.

"Previously, my posts were softer - brief and clever, but also friendly and human," she stated. "Currently, the bro-coded version was forceful and confident - like a Caucasian man being overly confident."

She discontinued the test after seven days, stating "Each day I continued, and outcomes got better, I became angrier."

Varying Outcomes

Some participants experienced favorable results. Cass Cooper who changed both her profile gender to "man" and her race to "white" described a reduction in visibility and interaction.

"We know there's algorithmic bias, but it's extremely difficult to understand how it operates in specific cases or the reasons behind it," she commented.

Wider Consequences

These tests occur alongside ongoing discussions about LinkedIn's unique position as both a professional network and social space.

Recent changes in the past few months have reportedly caused female creators experiencing significantly reduced exposure, leading to informal experiments where identical posts by male and female users received dramatically unequal reach.

System Details

Per LinkedIn, the network uses artificial intelligence to categorize and distribute posts based on multiple factors, including post content and the member's career profile.

The company claims it regularly evaluates its algorithms, including "checks for gender-related disparities."

Company representative suggested that current reductions in certain members' visibility might originate from higher volume due to additional posts on the platform.

Changing Landscape

According to a tester noted, "masculine-oriented language" appears to be increasing on the platform.

"People often view LinkedIn as more professional and polished," she remarked. "This is evolving. It's becoming increasingly competitive and unpredictable."