Will I Declare?

In class on Thursday, during our modified version of the “Question” activity, as well as during the new “Statement” exercise, my group identified one overarching concern: not one of us “answered” the questions, or even made a succinct, declarative statement in response to the issue at hand. We seemed utterly incapable of distilling a broad question (like mine, “Where does gender begin?”) into a concise, concrete statement. All of the responses merely bloated the issue at hand with nebulous words such as “universe” invading almost everyone’s question series. Our responses were also riddled with shaky, timid statements that could easily be retracted, or our words were hedged with disclaimers. Why is this? Why are we seemingly (I am noting my inability to write fully declarative sentences here, as I automatically used a weak word like “seemingly”) unable to make decisive statements and stand behind them? Why are we afraid of answering our own questions?

In a TED talk given in 2010 (which I have posted a link for), Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg addressed the cause and possible cure for such rampant uncertainty. She made the case that increasing the number of women in high-level positions would be profoundly beneficial. The first point in her argument is the most pertinent to the questions at hand: women need to claim their seat at the table. Additionally, she cites data that shows that “women systematically underestimate their own abilities.” These two concerns, why most of us were unable to ask and answer questions with more fervor, and Sandberg’s point that even women in high-level positions act with levels of uncertainty, go hand in hand. I know I was definitely guilty of one of the “universe” questions. The entire exercise made me uncomfortable, especially when we had to make forthright statements. After all, who am I to claim my own thoughts? Such systemic flaws may seem less pervasive in an institution like Bryn Mawr, which encourages and empowers women, but they exist. I must use this awareness to sit up, ask questions, and own my statements.