In today’s episode, I’m talking about something that so many women feel but rarely say out loud about the reality of gender and beauty bias at work, and how our bodies quietly become part of how we’re evaluated. 

I unpack how this bias shows up in real ways in performance reviews, “executive presence,” promotions, and compensation and how different the rules are for men versus women. While male leaders are judged almost exclusively on competence, women are expected to be excellent and acceptable. Polished, put together, visually palatable. And at the same time, the way we work with the stress, the pressure, the constant doing, actively creates the very bodies we’re being judged for. That contradiction is exhausting, infuriating, and deeply unfair… but ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.

Most importantly, this episode is about agency. I’m not here to tell you to reject femininity or punish yourself to prove a point. I’m here to help you stop sacrificing your body on the altar of a system that isn’t built for you. 

We talk about what actually helps by supporting your body, reducing stress, setting boundaries, protecting time for workouts, planning meals, and creating systems so you’re not relying on discipline when you’re already depleted. Because when you feel good in your body, you take up more space, and we need more women like you doing exactly that.

GRAB MY LATEST GUIDE! HOT MOM: How I lost 10 lb in 10 Weeks in My 40s

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME: Send me a DM on Instagram @thislifeuncluttered or on LinkedIn @laurenlynnmelton

I’d love to hear from you!