This study explores gender bias in Kazakhstan's city planning. It fills a critical knowledge gap in Global East planning cultures by demonstrating how gender bias affects female planners' careers. Two overarching discourses are identified using feminist social constructionist theory and discourse analysis: specific context planning culture and authority gap. Female planners' experiences are shaped by societal pressures and professional challenges. The research reveals systemic barriers in Kazakhstan's planning culture, emphasizing the need for structural reform to achieve fair representation in leadership. This empirically rich study contributes to gender and planning scholarship by situating its findings within the post-socialist Kazakhstan context.