On the back of Serena William’s controversy, I got thinking about adjectives, words that are used to describe female anger vs male anger. For instance, only adult women get described as hysterical’ when angry, or have a ‘meltdown’ or ‘throw a tantrum’ ? Is it a coincidence that all these words are also used to describe toddlers ? It is also interesting how these words imply ‘out of control’, ‘unreasonable’ or ‘crazy’. Men, they get labelled ‘furious’, or ‘angry’, or worst case ‘aggressive’ or ‘bully’ I But furious and angry imply ‘justified rage’ - like the other party deserved it, maybe ?
‘Aggressive’ is neutral in a male context, and positive when used to describe a male athlete, but an ‘aggresive’ woman brings forth the image of somebody that is ‘Unfeminine , unappealing, unattractive’ ..somebody you stay away from.
A male bully is unattractive too, but if an adult woman were to be labelled ‘bully’ - what image of her would you carry ?
Visible anger in a woman is almost all the time considered and described in starkly negative terms. Anger in a man - that can symbolise power often. If fact the lack of Anger (as Obama had) is often used to describe a lack of Male Potency.
Words are powerful and the labels used to describe women in particular - end up caging them
Can you think of other such words, that are used to cage women’s personalities ?
‘Aggressive’ is neutral in a male context, and positive when used to describe a male athlete, but an ‘aggresive’ woman brings forth the image of somebody that is ‘Unfeminine , unappealing, unattractive’ ..somebody you stay away from.
A male bully is unattractive too, but if an adult woman were to be labelled ‘bully’ - what image of her would you carry ?
Visible anger in a woman is almost all the time considered and described in starkly negative terms. Anger in a man - that can symbolise power often. If fact the lack of Anger (as Obama had) is often used to describe a lack of Male Potency.
Words are powerful and the labels used to describe women in particular - end up caging them
Can you think of other such words, that are used to cage women’s personalities ?
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