Melanie Page

D. Tannen (1994) explained in Talking from 9 to 5: Men and Women at Work that women in her studies did not notify their superiors of their accomplishments. Today, we are in the perfect position to look at how “tooting your own horn” is perceived by the masses. When former President Donald Trump says that he did amazing things, better than anyone else ever before, some Americans believe him, despite his claims lacking verifiable evidence. However, he is perceived as a strong businessman for his accomplishments.  

Those who do not support Trump claim he is a braggart, something Tannen mentioned in her book. Women do not want to seem like they are bragging and instead prefer to acknowledge the collective effort needed to finish a task. While I believe in supporting all hands and voices on a project, a value that aligns with the collectivist nature of Deaf culture, Tannen noted some women were a party of one saying “we” regarding her accomplishments. 

In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris states specific accomplishments, particularly during her time as California’s Attorney General, and some Americans believe she is a strong woman while others say, “Yeah, but.” Upon further analysis, Trump’s image is strong businessman, while Harris is a strong woman. Period. Other titles would fit her: prosecutor, lawyer, politician, second-in-command. And yet even people who want to vote for her say “woman.” I find this interesting. Even though the recent trend in America is to be more open-minded, people who are progressive may uplift Harris for reasons beyond her control: woman, Jamaican/Black, Indian. I support more diversity in politics, but now Tannen has me thinking about how I talk about women in powerful positions. Maybe saying, “Get it, girl!” during a debate is inappropriate, though the good intentions are there. 

Reference 

Tannen, D. (1994). Talking from 9 to 5. Virago.