Gender politics and subtle sexism

Guests: Jessica Bennett, Kathleen Dolan

This week’s conversations about Hillary Clinton’s “debate face” and Donald Trump’s frequent interruptions and “mansplaining” got us thinking about the different expectations we have about men and women in positions of power.  Can a woman be forceful without being considered “bitchy?”  Do women have to speak louder to be heard?  Do we care more about how a woman looks than the appearance of her male colleagues?  While women represent over half the workforce and have assumed more leadership roles in academia, government and industry, subtle sexism still pervades many workplaces.  In this hour of Radio Times, we’ll talk about women, power, and stereotypes.  Our guests are journalist JESSICA BENNETT whose new book Feminist Fight Club: A Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace offers advice about how women can combat the subtle forms of discrimination they face at work and political scientist KATHLEEN DOLAN at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.