You Speak So Well: Accent Bias, Perception, and Identity in Professional Spaces

Article Summary This article examines how accent bias and racialized perceptions of speech influence professional credibility, identity formation, and authority within leadership and public-facing environments. Using a practitioner-based qualitative case study, the study analyzes how linguistic presentation and audience expectations shape the evaluation of professional competence during formal presentations. Reflective observation and critical incident analysis are used to explore how assumptions about speech patterns, dialect, and cultural identity affect audience reception. The analysis is informed by scholarship in linguistic profiling, social identity theory, code-switching, and stereotype threat, situating the case within broader structural dynamics that influence perceptions of professionalism. The findings indicate that professional credibility may be conditionally attributed based on alignment with dominant linguistic norms rather than demonstrable expertise. The study contributes to ongoing discussions about language, identity, and equity in professional and leadership contexts. Publisher’s NoteThis work is published by the Catholic Open University – Research & Study Center as part of its Research and Publishing Program. All published materials undergo editorial review to ensure academic integrity, originality, and compliance with ethical research and publishing standards. Each publication is assigned a persistent digital identifier (DOI) to support long-term accessibility, citation, and global scholarly dissemination.Availability Official article page:https://www.catholicopenuniversity.org/articles/accent-bias-profession Catholic Open University Digital Library:https://www.catholicopenuniversity.org/publications