By LOUISE PLATTER – Print Editor-in-Chief
People talk a lot.
A 2007 study by the University of Arizona found that, on average, people speak around 16,000 words a day. What if we could break that down? Maybe we talk about school, weekend plans, family. Now let’s go deeper.
More than what we’re saying, what’s behind it? What are we implying? What do we really mean?
Mostly, when we talk, we have good intentions. We aren’t trying to hurt anyone. Unfortunately, we frequently marginalize half of the world’s population with phrases so everyday that we hardly even register their meaning.
Misogyny, or hatred of women, has seeped into our lexicon to the point where it feels completely natural. “Don’t be such a girl” and “man up” are things that are said on a day to day basis. We don’t even notice it.
Now let’s go deeper again. Hearing things like this, day after day, with no questions asked, sends a pretty clear message to young women, usually unintentionally. It says, “you’re weak”, “you’re not enough”, “you’re not want society wants”. “You’re not what society needs.”
Although it may seem like a small thing, these cliches are taking their toll. Young women are being limited. According to a 2006 study published in the international journal Computers and Education, men are much more likely to speak up in the classroom than women.
But none of this is what we meant to happen when we berated our friend for being too emotional. It was just a joke. Unfortunately, these jokes leave scars.
Our casual words are heavier than we think.
Maybe next time you open your mouth, think about what you’re really saying.
