Everybody knows that women talk more than men, right? We’re just naturally communicative creatures who like to discuss our thoughts and feelings more than men do.
Nope.
Turns out men and women use roughly the same amount of words each day, taking into account individual variations. A new study published in Science magazine has found that women say 16,125 words per day, while men say 15,669. The difference is statistically negligible. Full story here.
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The idea that women talk more is an ingrained cultural assumption. It’s been expressed in jokes, sitcoms, literature, music… we’ve all come to accept that it as truth. Now science proves it wrong.
It got me thinking about what other cultural assumptions are made about women in our society. How about:
* Women are more nuturing
* Children are better off with their mothers because women make better parents
* Women are more emotional and often irrational
* Women aren’t any good at maths and science
* Women don’t make good drivers
* Female politicians are more caring and would be less likely to start wars if they were in power
* Women are “gatherers” (and men are “hunters”)
And when it comes to sex, there’s:
* Women are less interested in sex than men
* Women aren’t visually stimulated
* A woman’s “nesting” instinct drives her search for mates
* Women are attracted to powerful men who make lots of money
* Women need to be seduced or lured into the bedroom
How many of these are just baseless generalisations? How many can be said to have a basis in science or research? Do we do the world a disservice by relying on “conventional wisdom”?
Ah yes, the social constuctions women must follow in order to be considered a real woman.
I’m sick of people telling me that I’ll “change my mind” when I tell them I honestly don’t want kids…because I’m “supposed” to. Ditto when I tell them I feel marriage is a throw back to the middle ages, and I’ll do just fine without it.
I worked in tech theatre in HS and college, and people were always suprised when I could use a power drill or saw.
And in regards to sex? Clearly, liking sex means I’m a slut (who uses safer sex and only sleeps with people I’m attracted to). And by enjoying one night stands, I’m really giving off a cry for help that I just want to be loved and in a long term relationship.
Don’t even get me started about the visually stimulated thing…I work for a PORN company for a reason 🙂
I know I’m just preaching to the choir, but your blog says all the thing I think about everytime someone tells me how to be a “better” woman.
Although I am against wars. Period. So maybe that is true, but only for me. Stop the stereotypes and generalizations!
I’ve had the same comments about my desire to be child free. Seems like it’s par for the course there.
The thing about female politicians does stand out, because I am inclined to believe in it, to want it to be so. The problem is that there are some very dodgy examples of female politicians supporting war – Condaleeza Rice and Margaret Thatcher spring to mind. That of course raises the question about the type of women that are successful in today’s political environment which requires a woman to fit into masculine models of behaviour.