[article] The Pronouns of the Brain
We have all heard the statements “Women are so dramatic” or “Men are so insensitive”. “Women are more caring”. “Men are more decisive.” Some of us agree; some of us disagree. The truth, I think, is somewhere in between. Recently, after an altercation with his female partner, one of my male friends quipped, “Women are so emotional”. I pointed out to him that that was a gender stereotype - to which he raised his eyebrows and said, "Is it though? It seems to be statistically true. Do you deny it?". I don’t deny it. How could I deny statistics? The women in my life do indeed exhibit more emotions than the men, and I daresay most people would agree with this observation, as my friend was happy to point out. But in my opinion, a stereotype can be true while also being oversimplified and unhealthy. Saying “Women are so emotional” and leaving it at that often sets the stage for a dicey ripple effect. Is it true in a lot of cases? Yes. Is it derisive of something not consciously under