Approximate reading time: 3 minutes

Dr J’s Story: Part 1

In the 1980s, 1990s, and beyond, a pervasive myth claimed that women were more emotional than men. This stereotype, often voiced in popular media, workplaces, and classrooms, had profound societal implications, particularly in undermining women’s professional advancement and devaluing their personal experiences.

I was a direct witness to this misconception. Growing up with five brothers and a sister, I saw emotions expressed across the gender spectrum. For example, at my own wedding, I was full of emotion, tears streaming as I recited my vows and expressed my love for my husband. In truth, my sister said I did not cry — I “blubbered!” A decade later, my younger brother displayed a similar emotional intensity as he cried at his wedding, expressing his love and vows to his partner. Such observations taught me that emotions are not the exclusive domain of one gender. My lifetime of living with many brothers taught me that sometimes men in my family cry, other times they do not. Similarly, sometimes women in my family cry, other times they do not.

I realised early on that the stereotype of ‘women being too emotional’ was not only misleading but potentially harmful. It not only devalued women’s experiences and hindered their professional advancements, but it also dangerously underestimated the emotional lives of men. This injustice propelled me to delve deeper into the topic, and to begin an academic journey through researching my Master’s and Ph.D.

We will pause my research story here to start your expiration of emotions. At the end of this chapter, I will return to share an overview of my research (see section: ‘Are women more emotional than men? The short answer: No.‘) and tell you what I learned about the universality of emotional experience.