Theftosterone (noun): When a lady shares an concept along with her colleagues, maybe in a gathering, and 5 minutes later, a person says nearly the very same factor, posing it as his personal authentic concept in an effort to bolster his skilled fame on the expense of hers. (This aggression is exacerbated when the collective response to the girl is lackluster however the man will get credit score for “his” nice suggestion and is all too completely happy to bask within the reward with out the slightest sense of guilt.)
It doesn’t matter how good or achieved the girl is, males nonetheless conversationally steamroll them and generally outright steal their concepts. We name this phenomenon “theftosterone.”
It occurs even within the highest court docket within the land. Transcripts of fifteen years of Supreme Courtroom oral arguments present that as extra ladies have joined the court docket, male justices have elevated their interruptions of the feminine justices. Many male justices interrupt feminine justices at double-digit charges per time period, however the reverse is nearly by no means true. Throughout a twelve-year span, when ladies made up 24% of the bench, 32% of interruptions had been of the feminine justices, however solely 4% had been by feminine justices. Unusually, because the gender imbalance on the court docket has lessened over the previous a number of years, the incidents of this haven’t gone down. In actual fact they’ve elevated.
After we requested individuals in a survey for his or her firsthand expertise observing original-thought theft, over 72% stated they’d certainly seen it happen. Reassuringly, the share of occasions it was referred to as out, both on the spot or reported afterward, was 10% greater than incidents when the perpetrator was not referred to as out on it.
THE MOST VULNERABLE
Kate White, the legendary editor in chief of Cosmopolitan, says that in case you’re a good suggestion individual, you want to be additional vigilant in anticipating theftosterone and warding it off earlier than it occurs.
“I got here up the ranks as an concept individual. And let me inform you, those that aren’t concept individuals usually steal your concepts out of desperation.”
There are two methods to guard in opposition to that, White says. Every time potential, put concepts in writing and cc individuals. In case your boss needs you to generate concepts in conferences, use a claim-the-floor technique.
“You may say one thing like ‘If I may have everybody’s consideration, I’d prefer to take a second to offer some very important data that I believe will probably be eye-opening and of great worth.’ Don’t simply blurt out one thing like ‘Possibly we must always make use of that technique in California too.’ It would get misplaced within the back-and-forth after which somebody (most likely a man) will convey it up 5 minutes later as their very own.
“As an alternative, achieve the ground, and say, ‘I’ve an concept. I believe we must always think about using this technique in California, and let me provide some analysis that explains why.’ Don’t begin with all of the analysis. Girls have a tendency to indicate their homework first.”
BLOCKING THE PUNCH
However what if the theftosterone has already been perpetrated? Listed below are three potential programs of motion:
- Amplification: This requires the cooperation and involvement of ladies colleagues. Juliet Eilperin, a reporter for the Washington Put up, spoke with ladies who labored within the Obama administration who devised an antidote to theftosterone. It’s a method they referred to as “amplification.” Right here’s the way it works. If a lady in a gathering makes a suggestion or presents an concept, one other lady instantly acknowledges it, repeats it, and provides her credit score. This shuts down any risk {that a} man within the assembly can later stake declare to the concept for himself. The plan was executed with a lot success that girls within the administration seen that Obama started calling on ladies in conferences extra usually.
- Claiming Affirmation: If assembling a group of feminine help isn’t potential for amplification, and also you’re compelled to go it alone, it’s as much as you to talk up. The strains you need to have in your again pocket are “I’m glad you agree with the purpose I simply made” or “It’s so gratifying to get your affirmation of my suggestion from a second in the past.”
- Male Advocates: Girls would profit from a extra equitable enforcement of communication justice. This requires that males even be on excessive alert for the appropriation of ladies’s concepts at work. Once they spot it, they will say, “That appears like precisely what Kristin stated only a few minutes in the past. Do you have got something extra that you could possibly add to that?” or “I’m glad to see that you just’re aligned with the concept Kristin shared a bit of earlier.”
BALANCING GENDER COMMUNICATION
Not like imitation, theftosterone shouldn’t be the sincerest type of flattery. It’s what its identify suggests: an unjust appropriation of a lady’s voice.
Given how lengthy males have been participating on this conduct, the prospect of eliminating and even dramatically curbing these aggressions appears distant. For years the battle to be correctly revered gave the impression to be solely a battle for girls to battle, and after they elected to go to the mat, usually the results of being labeled militant or “nasty” outweighed the advantages.
Males want to acknowledge the function they will and should play in combating this scourge to result in extra fairness in communication within the office.
Tailored from SPEAK, MEMORABLY: The Art of Captivating an Audience by Invoice McGowan and Juliana Silva. Copyright © 2025 by Invoice McGowan and Juliana Silva. Reprinted courtesy of Harper Enterprise, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Accessible wherever books are offered.
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