---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is still more likely that a woman's…"
description: "\"It is still more likely that a woman's power would be seen as aggression, and a man's power would be seen as assertion.\" — Jessye Norman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jessye-norman-13345_aggression_it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-p_1868581.png"
---

#  It is still more likely that a woman's power would be seen…

![“It is still more likely that a woman's power would be seen as aggression, and a man's power would be seen as assertion.” quote by Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jessye-norman-13345_aggression_it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-p_1868581.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jessye-norman-13345_aggression_it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-p_1868581.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jessye-norman-13345_aggression_it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-p_1868581.png)

> “It is still more likely that a woman's power would be seen as aggression, and a man's power would be seen as assertion.”

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Society often labels women’s power as aggression but men’s as assertive.

**In simple terms:** Gender bias interprets similar power differently.

Key Takeaway

Challenge gendered perceptions of power.

Themes

gender bias power

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

analytical advocacy

When to use this quote

- workplace
- leadership
- education
- media representation

Key Concepts

social perception gender roles

Questions to Reflect On

- In what ways do you see this bias at work?
- How can we reframe power language?

A Different Perspective

Changing deep‑seated stereotypes is slow.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) [Assertion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assertion/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Likely Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likely-woman-2562650/) [Man Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-power/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Power Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-seen-625230/) [Seen Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen-aggression-2562651/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Woman Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-power/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/)

## Related quotes

> [But innovation is more than a new method. It is a new view of the universe, as one of risk rather than of chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/but-innovation-is-more-than-a-new-method-it-is-a-new-view-of-the/)

[Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/)

> [“Never underestimate the power of being seen - it's exhausting to keep working against yourself when someone truly sees you and loves you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/never-underestimate-the-power-of-being-seen-it-s-exhausting-to-keep/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [“Never underestimate the power of being seen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/never-underestimate-the-power-of-being-seen/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [It is said that Knowledge is power, although many people have that but they don't use that power, however, I have seen people trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mubinamunir/it-is-said-that-knowledge-is-power-although-many-people-have-that-but/)

[MubinAMunir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mubinamunir/)

> [“The gospel’s power is seen in its ability to completely change minds, hearts, life orientation, our understanding of everything”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-j-keller/the-gospel-s-power-is-seen-in-its-ability-to-completely-change-minds/)

[Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-j-keller/)

> [“Traditionally, power was what was seen, what was shown, and what was manifested...Disciplinary power, on the other hand, is exercised through its invisibility; at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/traditionally-power-was-what-was-seen-what-was-shown-and-what-was/)

[Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/)

> [“The source of life (female) is redefined and now hated as the enemy of male life. What was once woman’s power is now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-sj/the-source-of-life-female-is-redefined-and-now-hated-as-the-enemy-of/)

[Monica Sjöö](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-sj/)

> [“When I read the words, “a woman has the power to…change her experience,” I knew overcoming my fear that my father would come into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-van-m-derbur/when-i-read-the-words-a-woman-has-the-power-to-change-her-experience/)

[Marilyn Van M. Derbur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-van-m-derbur/)

> [I totally agree with equal rights and women's causes, and most of my songs are woman-power, but I don't want to be labelled at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-trainor/i-totally-agree-with-equal-rights-and-women-s-causes-and-most-of-my/)

[Meghan Trainor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-trainor/)

> [“Without men to do your killing, the woman will have power over you!” “She doesn’t know that!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-peretti/without-men-to-do-your-killing-the-woman-will-have-power-over-you-she/)

[Frank Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-peretti/)

> [“No man wants to give a woman the power to crush his ego, and baby, I hate to tell you this, because I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aurora-rose-reynolds/no-man-wants-to-give-a-woman-the-power-to-crush-his-ego-and-baby-i/)

[Aurora Rose Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aurora-rose-reynolds/)

> [A woman who writes has power, and a woman with power is feared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/a-woman-who-writes-has-power-and-a-woman-with-power-is-feared/)

[Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/)

> [Being a woman is power. Just because we live in a male-dominated world doesn't mean that you're incapable or less than a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mya/being-a-woman-is-power-just-because-we-live-in-a-male-dominated-world/)

[Mya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mya/)

> [“It's never an easy thing to be a woman, Beatrice. And a woman in power is more at risk than any other. She invites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-mcgowan/it-s-never-an-easy-thing-to-be-a-woman-beatrice-and-a-woman-in-power/)

[Jennifer McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-mcgowan/)

> [I don't think any woman in power really has a happy life unless she's got a large number of women friends ... because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-don-t-think-any-woman-in-power-really-has-a-happy-life-unless-she-s/)

[Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/)

## More by Jessye Norman

> [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I am grateful that my horizons were not narrowed at the outset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/i-am-grateful-that-my-horizons-were-not-narrowed-at-the-outset/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I have a particular affliction. I am unable to say a word I can't spell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/i-have-a-particular-affliction-i-am-unable-to-say-a-word-i-can-t-spell/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [The high notes always hard to hit. I mean, one has to understand how high notes even happen. The vocal cords have to vibrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/the-high-notes-always-hard-to-hit-i-mean-one-has-to-understand-how/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I want to sing more in Spanish. I want to sing the songs of Granados; the songs of Montsalvatge. To do things that truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/i-want-to-sing-more-in-spanish-i-want-to-sing-the-songs-of-granados/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I love singing jazz. I don't like the idea that classical music should be over here and jazz should be someplace else. It's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/i-love-singing-jazz-i-don-t-like-the-idea-that-classical-music-should/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I wasn't born Austrian; I wasn't born German. My roots are from Africa, and I do not have any reason for not wanting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/i-wasn-t-born-austrian-i-wasn-t-born-german-my-roots-are-from-africa/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> ['Swan,' by Mary Oliver. Poems and prose. Reading from this book is as if visiting a very wise friend. There is wisdom and welcoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/swan-by-mary-oliver-poems-and-prose-reading-from-this-book-is-as-if/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [If you send up a weather vane or put your thumb up in the air every time you want to do something different, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/if-you-send-up-a-weather-vane-or-put-your-thumb-up-in-the-air-every/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [There's no anger ever in a spiritual. There's always the dream of a hope of a better day coming. That God understands the troubles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/there-s-no-anger-ever-in-a-spiritual-there-s-always-the-dream-of-a/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I enjoy reading about the lives of musicians, and find many similarities in their ideas of preparation and their utter devotion to this great,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/i-enjoy-reading-about-the-lives-of-musicians-and-find-many/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [As for my voice, it cannot be categorized-and I like it that way, because I sing things that would be considered in the dramatic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/as-for-my-voice-it-cannot-be-categorized-and-i-like-it-that-way/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [The very best thing that could happen to a voice, if it shows any promise at all, is when it is very young to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/the-very-best-thing-that-could-happen-to-a-voice-if-it-shows-any/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [There have been occasions - and I think it's very good for any human being that such occasions would be rare - that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/there-have-been-occasions-and-i-think-it-s-very-good-for-any-human/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [We singers have a different level of responsibility from other musicians. We have words that we must convey; we have meanings that we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/we-singers-have-a-different-level-of-responsibility-from-other/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

[Explore all 50 Jessye Norman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

## More Aggression quotes

> [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. That's because I was hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-used-to-fight-with-hate-there-s-been-a-lot-of-aggression-in-my-past/)

[Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/)

> [We have nothing in our history or position to invite aggression; we have everything to beckon us to the cultivation of relations of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-nothing-in-our-history-or-position-to-invite-aggression-we/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I take up the standpoint that the tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man, and I come back now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-take-up-the-standpoint-that-the-tendency-to-aggression-is-an-innate/)

[Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/)

> [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/)

[Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/)

> [“That which is of great value cannot be attained through aggression. You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/)

[Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/)

> [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/)

[Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/)

> [I can remember watching MTV Cribs - these amazing houses - and looking around my house where there was no carpet on the floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugzy-malone/i-can-remember-watching-mtv-cribs-these-amazing-houses-and-looking/)

[Bugzy Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bugzy-malone/)

> [Nationalism, on my opinion, is nothing more than an idealistic rationalization for militarism and aggression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nationalism-on-my-opinion-is-nothing-more-than-an-idealistic/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [I really like battle ropes. They're so versatile; you can get a terrific workout doing a ton of different exercises with them. My clients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-peterson/i-really-like-battle-ropes-they-re-so-versatile-you-can-get-a/)

[Gunnar Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-peterson/)

> [ Now they \[the Powers\] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empress-dowager-cixi/now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-aggression-and-the-extinction-of/)

[Empress Dowager Cixi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/empress-dowager-cixi/)

> [I'm not going to appeal to violence or aggression - of course not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/i-m-not-going-to-appeal-to-violence-or-aggression-of-course-not/)

[Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/)

> [This is passive-aggression in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/this-is-passive-aggression-in-action/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. When a child hits an adult, we call it hostility. When an adult hits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-child-hits-a-child-we-call-it-aggression-when-a-child-hits-an/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Major international interventions are doomed unless the US is directly or indirectly involved. But if American politicians, officials and servicemen are to be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/major-international-interventions-are-doomed-unless-the-us-is/)

[Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/)

[Browse all 860 Aggression quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It is still more likely that a woman's power would be seen as aggression, and a man's power would be seen as assertion.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jessye Norman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-power-would-be-seen-as/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Aggression"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-power-would-be-seen-as/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jessye-norman-13345_aggression_it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-p_1868581.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jessye-norman-13345_aggression_it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-p_1868581.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jessye-norman-13345_aggression_it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-p_1868581.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is still more likely that a woman's power would be seen as aggression, and a man's power would be seen as…” — Jessye Norman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jessye Norman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It is still more likely that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-power-would-be-seen-as/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/it-is-still-more-likely-that-a-woman-s-power-would-be-seen-as/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```