Assuming that boys are socialized to be more confident, bold, and outspoken, the end result is that men will end up talking over women. In an open forum setting, such as a professional or educational one, when the floor is open to anyone, it seems like men are more likely to speak up first.
Part of me thinks, “Well, anyone can speak if they wanted to! If I can count to ten and still be the first to talk, then so be it!” But part of me also wants to help uplift others and give them a chance to speak.
How might men navigate this?
To me what stands out is not the fact that men speak up more than women do, but that women get ignored/dismissed when they do speak. I make an effort to:
- Give them attention
- Understand their point of view
- Engage in their point of view
- Not let others (men) interrupt and if they do, quickly get back to the core discussion until the speaker is satisfied/has said everything they wanted to say
Basically give your attention not to the loudest ones, but the ones that deserve it. Things like these make all people who usually don’t engage in discussions more likely to engage in the future.