{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1811531,
        "msgid": "why-women-still-have-to-choose-between-being-heard-or-being-liked-1781841191",
        "date": "2026-06-19 10:06:02",
        "title": "Why Women Still Have to Choose Between Being Heard or Being Liked",
        "author": "Retizen",
        "source": "REPUBLIKA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "This opinion piece explores the persistent social 'double bind' where assertive women are often penalised for violating gender norms, while those who are agreeable risk being ignored. It argues that this dilemma, reinforced from childhood through to professional environments and amplified by digital algorithms, requires systemic change rather than individual adaptation.",
        "content": "<p>Consider this situation: a woman speaks assertively in a meeting, and\na colleague whispers, \u2018She\u2019s so bossy.\u2019 But if she stays quiet, she\u2019s\ndeemed to have no opinions. This no-win situation is not new for women,\nand the frustrating reality is that it still happens everywhere today.\nIn social psychology, this condition has a name: the double bind. It\nmeans women have no truly safe choice. If she is assertive, she is\nlabelled unfeminine. If she acquiesces, she is considered weak. There is\nno middle ground free from judgement. Research from the Harvard Business\nReview (2021) even notes that women are more frequently interrupted when\nspeaking in meetings compared to their male colleagues. It may seem\nminor, but it reflects a much larger pattern. If we trace the roots,\nthey lie in how we are raised. From childhood, women are taught to be\nagreeable, to please everyone, to avoid conflict, and not to be too\nloud. Boys, on the other hand, are encouraged to be brave, vocal, and to\nlead. When women grow up and carry these \u2018lessons\u2019 into the real world,\nwhat was once considered polite becomes a prison. The trouble is, many\ndo not even realise they are trapped. On social media, the pressure is\ndoubled. Women who are vocal on digital platforms easily become targets\nof hate speech, body shaming, and even direct threats. The algorithms\nthemselves are not neutral: content from women discussing serious issues\noften loses visibility compared to content that is funny or cute. The\ndigital system, without us realising it, helps determine who is worthy\nof being heard. What is saddening is that many women eventually\ninternalise these standards themselves. They choose softer words, add\ndisclaimers before expressing an opinion, or even apologise before\noffering criticism. This is not a lack of confidence; it is a logical\nresponse from someone who has been punished too often for being too\nhonest. But over time, this survival mechanism slowly erodes their\nvoice. This change cannot be expected from women alone. All parties must\nmove: institutions need to create safe spaces for speaking, communities\nmust stop rushing to label, and every individual should think twice\nbefore commenting on how someone speaks. Women should not have to choose\nbetween being heard or being liked. Both are reasonable rights, and it\nis time we treated them as such. So, when will we stop judging women by\nhow they speak, rather than what they have to say?<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/why-women-still-have-to-choose-between-being-heard-or-being-liked-1781841191",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}