Literary scholar Abrams describes this as the dynamic interplay of four key forces: the author, who brings intention, emotion, and craft; the reader, who makes sense of the story through curiosity, lived experience, and interpretation; the text, shaped by language and structure, which then becomes a meeting ground for both; and the world around them: the cultural and historical moment that gives words their resonance and relevance.
Despite strides in education, leadership, and activism, research shows that women make up only about a quarter of all people featured as news sources and subjects in global news. Even when they appear as the subjects of news stories, women’s stories are underreported and often underrepresented. To put it matter-of-factly, female sources and subjects are usually underquoted and mostly relegated to the sidelines.
The language we employ to describe ourselves and our experiences profoundly shapes our identity and influences others’ perceptions of us. How we speak — and are spoken about — is never neutral; it carries cultural assumptions about which traits are valued or devalued, often along gendered lines. While women’s emphasis on connection, empathy, and community building is often recognized as a valuable strength, it paradoxically carries an undertone of perceived weakness and usually leads to implied expectations.