Feminism Quote by Margaret Atwood
““Why do men feel threatened by women?' I asked a male friend of mine. So this male friend of mine, who does by the way exist, conveniently entered into the following dialogue. 'I mean,' I said, 'men are bigger, most of the time, they can run faster, strangle better, and they have on the average a lot more money and power.' 'They're afraid women will laugh at them,' he said. 'Undercut their world view.' Then I asked some women students in a quickie poetry seminar I was giving, 'Why do women feel threatened by men?' 'They're afraid of being killed,' they said.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Margaret Atwood speaking on gender dynamics, date unknown
The quote highlights reciprocal fears: men fear loss of dominance, women fear violence, reflecting power imbalances and societal anxieties.
In simple terms: Men fear losing status; women fear harm.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address underlying power structures.
Themes
gender
power
fear
violence
society
Mood
tense
reflective
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- workplace negotiations
- political debates
- educational settings
- media analysis
Key Concepts
masculinity
femininity
social hierarchy
security
Questions to Reflect On
- How do power dynamics shape everyday interactions?
- What steps can reduce fear on both sides?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex individual experiences and ignore intersectional factors.
![“As Atwood concludes after a random and informal sampling, men and women differ markedly in the 'scope of their threatenability': 'Why do men feel threatened by woman?' I asked a male friend of mine…'[M]en are bigger, most of the time...and they have on the average a lot more money and power.'…” quote by Shuli Barzilai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/264/shuli-barzilai-69640_gender_as-atwood-concludes-after-a-random-and-i_938427.jpg)
![“Men had been threatened by women from the days of Pandora, the first woman, & would not spare any efforts in order to rule over womankind.Depriving women of clothes was the first thing to do in order to put women at a disadvantage. And it also turned women into playthings from formidable foes.[MMT]” quote by Nicholas Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/717/nicholas-chong-4441_adult-fiction_men-had-been-threatened-by-women-from-th_1983244.jpg)
