Chapter 13 talks about how people communicate differently based on gender norms. It looks at how men and women often develop different styles of communication within their own speech. The chapter also explores how nonverbal cues like personal space, touch, body language, and silence convey gendered messages and reveal power dynamics in everyday interactions.

The editorial cartoon i chose demonstrates the stereotypes about gendered communication styles that make up our society. It shows a boy and a girl in a classroom, where the boy disapproves the girls artwork depicting a domestic scene as “typically female.” Instead he proudly presents his own artwork picturing nuking NY as something big and significant, demonstrating a clash of interest.

This cartoon reflects societal expectations around how men often communicate, and these expectations don’t really align with the diverse ways people actually prefer to communicate. There have been plenty of instances where assumptions were made about me or my personal interest solely because I’m male, and these assumptions limited the possibility of having genuine connection, since its rather off putting. Its important to think bigger than stereotypes and embrace communication that really reflects individuals preferences and personalities.