The body language says it all. Only Valerie Jarrett is enamored with the president. The rest of the women look angry.
I don’t see anybody angry in that photo, but — would agree with the original premise that women can get dead silence for saying something and then hear a man get approval for the same thing.
In a mostly male situation, the inner ape kicks in. The man knows how to behave and how to think in his male group, and he’s probably used to conducting business as a male in a male group. You throw in a woman and he can get confused. When he’s confused or conflicted or required to think on two rails, he will get cagey and refrain from comment. There is also the danger of offending a female with freewheeling comment. Best to shut up.
And there’s another factor that men probably take into account about the woman at the table: whether she’s making more or less money than he is, and whether it’s deserved. Even aside from gender, he’s likely to think: “I’m not going to stick my neck out and give credit to a greenhorn (or token hire); could be I’m missing something; let someone else praise her if it’s so brilliant.”
Also, in some neanderthal camps, the males will later tease the person who supported the female, and make accusations about his impure motives.
Gender is deeper than speech. We’ve been doing it far longer.
I’m not saying you mustn’t ever put a woman in the locker room, when the men have to strategize about the upcoming boar hunt. Just saying it adds to their difficulty, always did, always will.
They are jealous because Valerie has all the influence with obama.