Good morning ,
On Sunday I attended a spirited dinner party at a friend's home. There
were 7 of us, imbibing good red, roasted vegetable and couscous salad, and late night pizzas. 5 men and 2 women. In our list of Other Stories of Interest below, there's an account of what most women have experienced in such situations: men dominating the conversation, interrupting, seeking and finding the centre of attention, talking over the women.
Of course, I pushed back. And sometimes I go too far. My partner suggested telling one guy to "Shut up" (it was said in the course of a bantering exchange) was probably too far and I should have waited until he'd finished interrupting me and then say, "As I was saying...".
But therein lies the problem for women. Either you sit back and let the alpha male assume his 'natural place' or you challenge him and risk being seen as "bossy". It's a conundrum.
PS: I should add that not all the men were
alpha males. In fact, all bar one were quietly interested in what others, including the women, had to say, and seemed content to take turns in the conversation. Next time, perhaps I'll just sit back and observe how these men deal with the alpha male.
