Being a successful woman in the workplace is already challenging, but stepping into a leadership role brings an entirely new set of struggles. Many women in positions of power face constant scrutiny, unsolicited criticism, and outdated assumptions about their abilities. While progress is being made, these real-life stories from women bosses prove that the fight for respect in the workplace is far from over.

From bizarre gender-based assumptions to outright disrespect, here are 18 jaw-dropping workplace experiences that prove just how tough it can be for women in charge.

1. The Landscaping Leader Who Was Assumed to Be “The Owner’s Wife”

“I work in landscaping, and my crew leader—a hardworking, no-nonsense woman—is frequently mistaken for the owner’s wife. Meanwhile, I’ve been asked multiple times if I’m the owner’s daughter. Mind you, we’re not a small company.”

2. The Coffee Shop Manager Who Was Mistaken for the Boss’s Wife

“I manage a busy coffee shop, and for a while, I was the only woman on staff. When a new hire joined, he immediately assumed I was married to the manager. Nope—I am the manager. He apologized profusely, but it was a stark reminder of how deep these assumptions run.”

3. The Female Army Officer Challenged by Insecure Wives

“As a female Army officer, I’ve dealt with all kinds of people. Most of the men I lead respect me, but I’ve had strange run-ins with their wives. It’s always the insecure ones who see me as a threat, going to extreme lengths to ‘mark their territory’—even when I have zero interest in their husbands.”

4. The Pregnant Store Manager Who Was Questioned for Promoting Over Her Husband

“When I was promoted to manage a convenience store while pregnant, people constantly asked me how my husband felt about it. Even after he left for another job, they still acted like I needed his approval. When I told people to do their jobs, they called me ‘power-hungry.’”

5. The Employee Who Demanded More Respect for Being Older and Male

“A subordinate once scolded me for not showing him ‘proper respect’ because he was both older than me and male. It was funny watching his face when I high-fived the company president and called him ‘dude’—which he had specifically objected to.”

6. The New Hire Who Refused to Take Instructions from a Woman

“We hired a guy for a lab assistant role. On his first day, I reminded him to put on safety goggles. He ignored me. My male coworker repeated the same thing, and suddenly, he complied. This happened for three days before I reported it to my manager—who was also a woman. He refused to acknowledge her too, so our CEO (a man) fired him.”

7. The Male Employee Who Saw His Boss as His Mother

“A male subordinate underperformed and told HR he needed a new manager because I was ‘too much like his mom for him to respect.’ He didn’t get a new boss. He also didn’t keep his job.”

8. The Co-Owner Who Was Listed as an Employee While Her Husband Was Labeled ‘Owner’

“My husband and I own a business together—50/50. But when we went to open a new bank account, the bank employee listed him as ‘owner’ and me as ‘job duty.’ I had to insist they fix it. I put just as much blood, sweat, and tears into this business as he does.”

9. The Sales Call That Ended in Pure Sexism

“My former boss answered a call from a B2B salesman who asked to speak to the manager. When she said, ‘This is she,’ the guy yelled at her, saying, ‘You’re obviously not the boss, you’re a woman!’ Then he hung up.”

10. The Supervisor Who Was Called a Liar for Being in Charge

“I covered the front desk phones for lunch breaks. One day, a man angrily called asking to speak to a supervisor. I told him I was the supervisor. He refused to believe me and demanded to know my job title. When I repeated myself, he outright called me a liar.”

11. The Woman Who Had to Sugarcoat Her Emails to Be Taken Seriously

“If I send a direct email without exclamation points, smiley faces, or extra niceties, I’m labeled as ‘mean’ or ‘power-trippy.’ Men send blunt emails all the time, and no one bats an eye.”

12. The Employee Who Pretended His Female Boss Didn’t Exist

“A male coworker and I got along fine—until I was promoted. Suddenly, he completely ignored me. No emails, no eye contact, no response to direct instructions. HR intervened, but he still wouldn’t acknowledge me. He was fired shortly after.”

13. The Manager Who Was Told She Made Men Feel ‘Inadequate’

“I oversee technical projects. I give advice, and it gets ignored. Then, a male colleague repeats it, and suddenly it’s ‘a great idea.’ In one meeting, I presented an important strategy. They ignored me for nine months before scrambling back to me in desperation. By then, I’d moved to another role. I pointed them to my year-old notes and walked away.”

14. The Businessman Who Pitched to a High School Intern Instead of the Actual Boss

“I brought a high school intern to a meeting with a vendor. The vendor pitched everything to the intern instead of me—the person in charge. The kid was 16.”

15. The Engineer Who Was Introduced as ‘Just a Nice Lady’

“At a dinner party, a colleague introduced everyone by their jobs—until he got to me. Instead of saying I was an engineer, he said, ‘And she’s just a really nice lady.’ My boyfriend immediately corrected him, but the guy ignored it. It was like he couldn’t admit a woman was the most successful person at the table.”

16. The Manager Who Needed a Male Escort for ‘Safety’

“After my promotion, I was allowed to conduct interviews—but when it came to disciplinary meetings or terminations, I was required to have a male manager present ‘for my safety.’ To top it off, I was ordered to wear skirts because trousers wouldn’t be ‘acceptable for the company’s image.’”

17. The Woman Whose Friend Tried to Sabotage Her Promotion

“My best friend and I started at the same company. After I was promoted, I noticed files missing and presentations deleted. I found out my friend was sabotaging me. When confronted, she blamed me for being ‘too bossy’ and taking the promotion she thought should have been hers.”

18. The Manager Whose Ideas Were Ignored—Until a Man Repeated Them

“I led a project where I was the only expert. I gave a strategy, and they dismissed it. A male colleague later said the exact same thing, and they acted like it was genius. When I confronted them, they admitted I ‘made them feel inadequate.’ Their solution? Ignore me for nine months, then beg me to fix their mess.”

Final Thoughts: Women in Power Deserve Respect

These stories are shocking, but sadly, they are not uncommon. Women in leadership face relentless obstacles—biases, assumptions, and outright disrespect. Yet, as these 18 women prove, they persist. They stand their ground. They demand the respect they deserve.

Because the reality is clear: Boss women aren’t going anywhere. And it’s about time the workplace caught up.