How To Use Your Voice In a Male-Dominated World

Finding the opportunity to use your voice and share your opinions can be hard and intimidating. Here are some tips on how to speak your mind in a world where the odds are against you.

Finding your voice doesn’t have to mean transforming who you are. It's about breaking through your walls to know and understand the value of your own opinion and not caring how it's interpreted by others.

It's easy for a female presence to be diminished and overlooked in both private and public spaces. Many fear speaking up even at the simplest of times for the possibility of being dismissed. It's proven that women are much less likely to speak up in meetings, and even when they do they apologize for their own words and will allow themselves to be interrupted. Constantly allowing ourselves to slip away silently into the background.

Even I’ve suffered from this internal struggle my whole life. Unfortunately, this is a dynamic formed by patriarchal powers in which embedded a sense of hierarchy among identified genders. It's unfortunate but true that males find a sense of dominancy in these spaces and take advantage of their power. However, it doesn’t have to be our weak spot. Who’s to say that your opinion isn’t valued? That your voice shouldn’t be heard? You’re just going to let a man fear you into staying silent? Oh no, that is not the strong, independent, powerful woman I want to see. I see you, now I want to hear you too. Here are three quick tips to do just that. They might be simple but will defiantly be effective.

Create Opportunities To Speak.

Don’t wait to be invited to speak (because odds are that’s not going to happen). Involve yourself in conversation. Poke in words of encouragement or try to lead conversations.

Don't Overthink.

Most of the time I don't speak up in a meeting or a group of people because I’m afraid of saying something wrong or sounding stupid. Afraid of being patronized or made to feel less then, by those deeming to be more superior and most the time I psych myself out for no reason.

Be Confident, Be You!

There's not much more that I can say other than to be clear, concise, don’t hesitate and to just be you. Assert yourself in conversation and don’t allow anyone to intimidate you out of speaking up. You should never be afraid to be you. Your voice is beautiful and deserves to be heard!

Let me know how you're practicing being an active female presence and how you are using your voice.