For the longest time,
I would never state facts or opinions
with absolute certainty.
I wouldn’t say,
for example,
“The use of fossil fuels
IS making climate change worse.”
I would say
“The use of fossil fuels
MIGHT be making climate change worse.”
And this meant
men would immediately discount
or dismiss my contributions.
Many women moderate their statements.
Why?
Because many women
have dealt with violent men.
And violent men
don’t like it
when we use absolutes.
They will pound the sh*t out of us
for using them
in ANY context.
So we don’t use them.
And then we have to train ourselves
to use absolutes
in a business setting.
But if the woman is still living
with her abuser,
she has to remember
to stop using absolutes
in private
or she might die.
Remember this
the next time you are tempted
to dismiss or discount
a woman’s opinion
because she didn’t state it
with 100% certainty.
She has dealt with violence.
If you punish her for that,
you’re a f*cking jacka$$
and
you are also contributing
to that violence.