Gender Differences Essay

The essays by Rebecca Solnit and Deborah Tannen provide significant accounts of the travails that females experience during their daily lives due to the prevailing notions that men and women have regarding gender. For instance, Tannen’s essay, “Can’t We Talk?” reveals a substantial tendency that presents women in a way that compromises feminist projects. Conversely, Solnit’s essay, “Men who explain things” concentrates on the need that males feel for a specific masculine exhibitionism brand. The author asserts that men do so with women to stroke their ego (Solnit 1). With that said, Tannen demonstrates that both men and women learn their fundamental communication as children because they focus on each other to understand the way they behave towards themselves. Both Solnit and Tannen address various situations where individuals fail to comprehend and communicate to each other. The essays above present different assumptions that many males make and this reveals their prejudices that are grounded on their belief that females are less knowledgeable.

Overall, it is evident from the two essays that the gendered modes of communication experienced between men and women are grounded on lack of understanding between them. Both of them fail to accept the existence of one another’s view. For example, most men are not ready to listen and respond to women’s needs during conversations. The misunderstanding experienced between males and females contributes to inequality relationships, which in turn make conversations difficult. It is important to comprehend that the conversational style borrows from the false and perceived superiority sense that many males have towards women. In simple terms, the aforementioned situations affects the negotiation process that is vital for a good relationship between men and women.

Works Cited
Solnit, Rebecca. “Men who explain things.” Los Angeles Times (2008): 1-2.