Anger Reduces Women's Ability to Influence Others

[NiNoKuni]

Article here

"men were able to exert more social pressure by expressing anger," whereas women actually lost influence when they did the same thing.

This research supports the results of a 2008 study that found men gain status, but women lose it, after expressing anger. Men are presumed to be angry for a reason, that study concluded, while women's anger is seen as a reflection of internal characteristics, such as a tendency to get "out of control."

I had a few reactions reading this, including 'no shit', 'fuck that' and 'that's why feminists are always branded as angry', but also - does this mean I should police my own tone to exert more influence, or try to subvert this norm by not toning it down but then ironically losing impact? Is it better to be authentic or play the game to win? Is there a way for women to win in the first place? What do you think?

It's like that JLaw article I posted yesterday - where she says
For a moment, I wondered how I'd missed the news that Jude Law was trans... Jennifer Lawrence. With you now.

I love Mad Men. There are a lot of sexist characters but it's very good at showing the impact of institutional sexism on women. And it looks gorgeous.

I've only watched 2 episodes so far, but right from the start, it's immediately clear that what I thought the show was about and what put me off watching it (alpha male gleefully privileged) is actually not what it's about at all - and that this is a far more nuanced portrayal of someone who is fatally out of step with the zeitgeist, and who hasn't understood the way the world around him is changing. Don Draper's not some sex symbol - he's a past it dinosaur right from the start. But I do agree with NiNo - everyone is abjectly miserable!! I've seldom watched the opening of a show where the position and status of women is so absolutely central, which intrigues me.

I watched the first episode of Madmen and that exact same comment was what stopped me being interested in watching any more episodes ! It deemed like it was trying to get sexism into a show that wouldn't be allowed any more. But maybe I was wrong.

I think I grew up believing I didn't have the ' right ' to be angry and often felt resentful and depressed instead. In fact there's a theory that sometimes depression is just unexpressed anger. I still struggle with it now and am a bit of a conflict avoider. We are definitely not socialised to express it and as pp have said, run the risk of being patronised or labelled ' hysterical ' if we do ( David Cameron's 'calm down dear' comment springs to mind. )

It's like being hamstrung isn't it, as a woman you can be silenced by calling your assertiveness 'bossy', your anger 'hysteria' and using your wits as 'manipulative'.

In answer to the op I say, play the game to win and once you're the winner you can start to call the shots, and try to have the sense and strength to recognise silencing tactics and say bollocks to that. (or ovaries if you prefer)

I agree with Beta about the perceived lack of consequence from female anger making it something you don't fear.

I'm heartened by the some of the media I see publicising womens' contribution..
Suffragette, Photograph 51, even Joan Clarke's role in Imitation Game. If only we had a sympathetic female media 'mogul'.