On 20 April, Jayne Docherty wrote: >On Wed, 19 Apr 1995, Wood Lee wrote: > >> It is my believe that cases where women are consciously overlooked or >> bypassed are the exception. Many times, the preferred communication >> style of most women simply does not fit well with the traditional, >> male-dominated, combative style. Most simply are forced to take a back >> seat, though some women try to adapt to such a style. However, I suspect >> that many do not do well and probably make unfavorable impressions on >> their male colleagues, further complicating the overall problem. > >I would argue that it is not that we (women) do not "do well" when using >this dominant style of discourse. Some of us do it *very* well, thank >you very much. Even if we don't particularly like it. A *major* part of >the problem is that when we "do well" we are *heard* differently! If my >male colleague uses the same style of speech and says the same thing, he >is assertive. If I do it, I am a "ball busting bitch". I would just like to affirm that this is not just Jayne's personal, idiosyncratic experience: psychological research has shown that a style that is perceived as admirably assertive in men is perceived as inappropriately bitchy in women. Susan Clayton
