Genderlect Styles

In Deborah Tannen's Genderlect Styles Theory, she described the conversational styles of men and women. According to Tannen, conversations between men and women are cross-cultural conversations. For example, Tannen states that men and women "speak different words, from different worlds. Even When they use the same terms, they are tuned into different frequencies" (Griffin, 429). Tannen then, went into detail to describe all of the differences between male and female conversational styles.

I do not fully agree with her theory. Deborah Tannen has come up with a decent basis that further research and studies should be focused around. I did not find her argument's to be strong, because I thought her results were too extreme, without enough evidence to prove her findings.



This is a simple video of a man (Stevie) talking into the camera about the differences in communication styles, between men and women. According to Stevie, he states that "when it comes to communication, women are subtle [and] men are direct." He says that when a woman wants a man to do something, she throws him subtle hints, instead of just asking him directly. Tannen did not mention anything about women being subtle, but she did mention that women are more sensitive in nature. Tannen and Stevie do agree that men are more direct, in nature. Stevie also stated that women will not let you know, if they are mad at you. They might drop subtle hints or ignore the fight altogether. Tannen agrees that women try to avoid conflict, at all costs. She states that women view conflict, as being a threat to connection, therefore they will try to avoid it at all costs.

--Bret Schlein

The feminist communication theory is based on three criteria of gender, communication, and social change. All of which encompass and understanding of how communication and gender interact with the respect of assumptions constructed by society.

-The feminist communication theory is stated as explanatory because the theory itself is designed by experience. It is articulated by the experiences that individuals have and their perspectives involving the significance of communication in the every day rituals of females.

-It's political because the politics surrounding feminist communication reach a personal level. Women have been silenced and been seen as insubordinate in one way or another has been such a huge part of society's history that it cannot be seen but anything as personal.

-The theory is seen as polyvocal because it has been formed by many different female voices with many different opinions, philosophies, and morals which at times can be conflicting interests. Because of the all the different kinds of women with so many different experiences the theory has so many different perspectives to draw conclusions from.

-The idea of a true "voice" is when one as the ability to articulate thoughts and then in turn also be able to listen to what others have to say that may or may not be in conflict to your opinions and/or ideas. As I mentioned before there have been so many times throughout history when women have been denied the power of their voice and have been silenced and so women were forced to find other creative ways to express the communication that they were denied.

Deborah Tannen stated in chapter on genderlect styles that males and females think on two different levels and express themselves in very different ways. She used the really great examples of dialogue from the movie, "When Harry Met Sally" to better illustrate her point.

The following is a clip that defines certain stereotypes that define the differences men and women and who they are as individuals.