Linguistics and Power

[ysabetwordsmith]

There's a wonderfully thoughtful article about Hillary Clinton's speech patterns. It examines the double standards applied to all women in (or seeking) positions of power, explaining how there is no "safe" or "right" approach they can take without being criticized for something.

Comments

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

There seems to be an expectation from men that women have to be a .......(politician, broadcaster, scientist, CEO, writer, whatever) and "still" be sexy. No man, apart from actors and rock stars, is expected to be sexy at work. Unfortunately there are women who will play to this expectation and vamp it up at work in order to try to distract men into giving them what they want.

I believe this is already changing. At least, here in the UK where we had a woman prime minster almost 20 years ago, we are getting over the idea that women can't do power. Mrs Thatcher was never sexy (although there are a few strange guys in the Conservative Party who will swear that she was) but neither are most male politicians. She was criticised for being too vocally aggressive and then when she took voice coaching lessons, she was accused of simpering.

In politics, there is a need to be tough in order to make hard decisions. That should be the side of Hillary's personality that appeals to voters. But, inpossibly, there are people who sant their president to also be sexy. That is weird!