Writing unapologetically from the front lines of womanhood where advocacy, poetry, lived truth, and data expose the systemic violence silence was built to protect.
Men are never more polite than when they’re being obeyed.
The nod. The soft “Exactly.”
The approving smirk when you echo his point back in gentler words, all of it could read like respect.
But what if that politeness is the costume patriarchy wears to stay in charge?
Psychologists call this conversational dominance a subtle but measurable power behavior where one speaker maintains authority by defining what counts as “valid” speech.
Men have been socialized to treat agreement as a mirror: when you sound like them, they feel safe; when you differ, they feel threatened.
So when he says, “I agree,” he’s not giving respect. He’s granting permission.
Writing unapologetically from the front lines of womanhood where advocacy, poetry, lived truth, and data expose the systemic violence silence was built to protect.
