Back in November 2011, I wrote a Texas Lawyer column titled “Banishing the Word ‘Bossy’ From Women’s Vocabularies,” proposing that women think twice before using the word “bossy.” My thinking was that, since people apply the word almost exclusively to females, it punishes us for behavior that is either tolerated or applauded in males.
In other words, “bossy” is “bitch” on training wheels. “Bossy” discourages young girls from doing anything—speaking up, organizing others, delegating tasks, etc.—that might brand them with the “bossy” label. That propensity for hanging back lingers into adulthood, creating women who tend not to speak up in meetings, negotiate for raises or seek out leadership positions that could advance their careers.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
