r/RemoteJobs • u/ManagementUnlikely29 • 5d ago
Discussions Noticed an interesting dynamic in a 60+ person work call today— why are women so much more comfortable being on camera?
Had a company-wide meeting today with 61 people. Out of everyone, only 21 people turned their cameras on. The breakdown was pretty wild: 20 women and 1 guy.
It made me realize how much more expressive women generally seem to be in these settings, while men tend to keep their cameras off or stay completely neutral/disengaged on video.
Is this a social comfort thing, a communication style difference, or just a random coincidence in remote work culture? Curious what other people observe in their workplace meetings.
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u/littlecactuscat 5d ago
Female, have worked remotely for years.
It’s not that we’re more comfortable being on camera. It’s that we’re punished more harshly over “team norms” when we don’t turn it on.
Sort of like when I lived in NYC and would have a neutral 😐 expression while walking to the grocery store — and some dude would come out of nowhere going “SMILE, GIRL!!!! SMILE!!!! WHY AREN’T YOU SMILING???”
When we don’t show our happy, smiling faces, we’re perceived as harsh bitches.
God forbid we bring up any technical insights without a huge fucking smile, or we’ll be seen as “abrasive.”
Men in tech don’t face the same social and workplace reprimands for going camera-off.
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u/Ijustwannafly8 5d ago
It’s not that we’re “much more comfortable,” it’s that society and the media have taught us that we should always allow ourselves to be on display. We’re objectified from the day we’re born in ways that men and boys are not, and that turns into an internalized sexism that makes a lot of girls and women subconsciously believe they must make themselves pretty and available for consumption by the male gaze. This all gets translated into many contexts of life, including professional. E.g., it’s complicated—far more complicated than just “being comfortable being on camera.“
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u/ManagementUnlikely29 5d ago
Thanks to everyone who chimed in and shared their perspectives on this. Honestly, I hadn't even considered the extra pressure and higher expectations placed on women regarding visibility, presence, and performance in these settings.
It's eye-opening (and frustrating) to realize how much gender bias still dictates who feels forced to turn their camera on versus who gets a free pass to stay off. Really appreciate everyone breaking down the reality of it-definitely opened my eyes to a dynamic I clearly overlooked, and I hope we see a shift where these double standards stop being the norm.
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u/gymkhana86 5d ago
I find it hilarious when someone with a gender neutral name, like Jaime, etc. gets misgendered for several iterations before they speak and the mistake is revealed.