Cold is used to describe a woman who isn’t acting in a traditionally ‘feminine’ way. Some women are caring, warm and expressive and others aren’t. Women in leadership are faced with the mismatched expectation of having both leadership qualities and stereotypical feminine qualities. It’s often accepted that a male leader can be the ‘silent type’, but when a woman acts in the same way (because she knows masculine qualities are more respected), she’s an ‘ice queen’.
by Sexism Education March 06, 2022
Emotional describes someone who has shown a valid human response to a situation. This word is often misused to describe emotionally intelligent women in the workplace. There is a well-documented history of women being labelled as ‘emotional’ and ‘hysterical’ and therefore not equipped to lead.
Even presidential candidates fear being judged as emotional:
“It’s a really delicate balancing act—to be yourself, to express yourself, to let your feelings show, but not in a way that triggers all of the negative stereotypes.” –Hillary Clinton
Even presidential candidates fear being judged as emotional:
“It’s a really delicate balancing act—to be yourself, to express yourself, to let your feelings show, but not in a way that triggers all of the negative stereotypes.” –Hillary Clinton
After a difficult client meeting, Jane became emotional. One of her male colleagues rolled his eyes and the other went over to see if she was okay.
by Sexism Education March 06, 2022
Fierce is a word used to describe strong women, however it also infers that a woman isn’t acting as we expect her to. Fierce is a particularly problematic sexist term, as it is often reserved for women of colour and reinforces the ‘angry black woman’ stereotype.
by Sexism Education March 06, 2022