tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post5170070917985715025..comments2023-12-02T00:38:03.848-08:00Comments on Speak & Deliver - A Public Speaking Blog For the Speaking Public: Why Women Almost Never Win the World Championship of Public SpeakingRich Hopkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-41149087730117263972017-09-05T20:29:23.904-07:002017-09-05T20:29:23.904-07:00A recently-engaged friend said to me the other day...A recently-engaged friend said to me the other day that she wanted to be married by a man, because being married by a woman "would just be weird". Until we can get over that unconscious bias that men are somehow more authoritative, more pleasing to listen to, with their lower voices and broader shoulders, then men will continue to win speech contests. There was a time when people were not as comfortable with women being funny and comedic, and there was research that backed this up. I am happy to say that this prejudice is falling by the wayside, with some amazing women comedians knocking down the barriers. <br />Toastmasters need to lose that old-world, men-are-somehow-more-appealing bias that so many of us unconsciously hold. It doesn't just apply to gender, BTW. I have seen really great speakers not given their due because they are older... simply because they are seniors. <br />Anyway, I don't want to get into a sparring contest. I just want to point out that there is no such thing as objectivity in judging speeches, because the speaker is part of the package and we seem to prefer men. But I am hopeful for change.RB Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17968421800316959061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-18435417742061840842017-09-05T20:03:09.966-07:002017-09-05T20:03:09.966-07:00Care to elaborate? Care to elaborate? Rich Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-15062077373350871602017-09-05T19:57:54.559-07:002017-09-05T19:57:54.559-07:00Please. There is a preference for men that has not...Please. There is a preference for men that has nothing to do with ability. Plain and simple.RB Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17968421800316959061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-44298573628279759012015-09-08T19:05:18.449-07:002015-09-08T19:05:18.449-07:00You are completely entitled to your opinion Raul. ...You are completely entitled to your opinion Raul. Thanks for reading, and responding :)Rich Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-33475766381935326832015-09-08T16:12:32.452-07:002015-09-08T16:12:32.452-07:00You got it all wrong Rich. Women get the wrong end...You got it all wrong Rich. Women get the wrong end of the stick in Toastmasters because the culture leans that way. Maybe someday its all reversed and a woman may right a blog about why men don't get to the finals. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05341670468597933746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-49101922014741422612015-09-07T18:20:23.477-07:002015-09-07T18:20:23.477-07:00Rich, this is the second post of yours I have read...Rich, this is the second post of yours I have read and the second one I agree with. <br /><br />The two women in my semifinal round did not win because their speeches were not as strong. It had NOTHING to do with their gender. I cannot speak for the other nine rounds.<br /><br />Why did I lose at the finals? Was it because I was from the USA or because I have white skin? NO! I did not place because I did not do what Rich said: my speech was not as good, my presentation was not as smooth, and I did not have a coach. The only person I have to blame for my results is me.<br /> <br />If TI were bias against women why is a majority of our membership female? Why would they stick around -- young ones in particular -- if there was a bias against them? Didn't TI just announce that of the 96 districts directors, only 30 or so are men? If there is a gender bias in TI, it seems to be against men.<br /><br />The blunt truth is on August 13, 2015 in all 10 semifinal rounds, none of the women competing did what needed to be done to win their rounds. Not because their gender prevented them from doing so but for any number of reasons they did not get the scores needed to advance. I DO NOT say that as an arrogant twit who made it to the finals; I am channeling my inner Jim Rohn, "Those are the facts."<br /><br />Consider these questions: why were two of the four Americans from California, and both of them were black? Was there a racial or state bias? Why were the other two Americans from adjoining states? With a majority of TI members from the USA why were only four of the ten Americans? Any bias there? OF COURSE NOT!<br /><br />Why was no nation south of the equator represented? Any bias there? OF COURSE NOT!<br /><br />Why were all three of the winners brown-skinned men? Could it be that on August 15, 2015 during the World Championship of Public they gave the best speeches? OF COURSE!<br /> <br />GilMichelinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01832543887543720283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-32543007864080675592015-09-07T18:04:15.034-07:002015-09-07T18:04:15.034-07:00Statistics aren't my main argument. Nor am I a...Statistics aren't my main argument. Nor am I arguing that judging bias doesn't exist to a degree. I'm saying be a better speaker - control what you can control. Equality certainly doesn't exist in this world, on many, many levels. Reaching greater equality requires both sides to walk towards each other to one degree or another, in most instances. Rich Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-67126038791320010182015-09-07T18:01:24.533-07:002015-09-07T18:01:24.533-07:00It was a monster to edit, I'll grant you that....It was a monster to edit, I'll grant you that. :)Rich Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-31730592082461273082015-09-07T18:00:53.769-07:002015-09-07T18:00:53.769-07:00As long as the other one is me, I'm cool with ...As long as the other one is me, I'm cool with that :)Rich Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-37519241804250224982015-09-07T18:00:31.804-07:002015-09-07T18:00:31.804-07:00No matter how well-trained and objective the judge...No matter how well-trained and objective the judges are, it's always relative to an individual's life experience. Human nature plays a part, no matter what.Rich Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-11066159893827901722015-09-07T17:59:18.154-07:002015-09-07T17:59:18.154-07:00The lower the level, the more unpredictable the qu...The lower the level, the more unpredictable the quality of judging, based on number of judges needed vs. trained and available. Good luck with your TED talk!Rich Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08368395405978270849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-74281696337720482552015-09-07T15:54:31.296-07:002015-09-07T15:54:31.296-07:00Sorry champ statistics won't win in this argum...Sorry champ statistics won't win in this argument. There are more judgemental biases going on here. It's the same reason we don't have as many women as CEOS of fortune 500 companies. Whether or not judges are even consciously aware of it there are subconscious biases present. While we all want to believe equality exists in this world it doesn't. StephySteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07101742669965849723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-44093476626387217222015-09-07T15:27:08.446-07:002015-09-07T15:27:08.446-07:00I agree. It is what it is. I wonder though if you&...I agree. It is what it is. I wonder though if you've caught your breath yet? - I felt breathless just reading this. :)gigigalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11942932669796133032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-10284524579128841372015-09-07T14:56:21.421-07:002015-09-07T14:56:21.421-07:00I am willing to bet next 1 of next 2 WCPS will be ...I am willing to bet next 1 of next 2 WCPS will be a woman<br />matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16945287834964631499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-20477754860411261582015-09-07T13:11:10.444-07:002015-09-07T13:11:10.444-07:00First off, Points for the X-Men reference..Next, a...First off, Points for the X-Men reference..Next, a senior TM I read posited that it was the Judges that were the problem; in level of training and consistency. Being to more events and this level of event therefore having some experience in it, what say you to this challenge? I don't know what the qualifications are for say, Olympic competitions or even Pet Shows. One could surmise that maybe the Intl Speech Competition might have qualified judges but the road to that event could be filled with people on the end of the Chili Cookoff Contest, certainly not Michelin/Zagat critics but more like "I know what I like and this just tasted better." In speaking, it could be, "Yeah that Hopkins guy sounded good but I like that other person more." Thoughts?DarkwingDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15852825834653738020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2161870764175544567.post-89480364621520256062015-09-07T12:10:03.510-07:002015-09-07T12:10:03.510-07:00I actually had an area governor say to me, after I...I actually had an area governor say to me, after I placed 3rd in a Humorous Speech contest that it was hard to compete against the men. This was a new TM district for me and it did give me pause. The next year, I place 2nd in Division, to a man who was in 2 clubs and had a following. Several people, including one of the judges, came up to me afterward and said they thought I should have won. That's only two contests. I did win the District Humorous contest a few years prior. Anyway, what I've learned about TM contests both as a contestant and judge is that the judging is very subjective. In all of the clubs I've belonged to, no one gets good training to be a judge. Sometimes it's difficult to get people to do the judging. I would hope that all of that goes away when you get to the upper levels. For me - I'm focusing on giving a TED talk:)Linda McKenneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18347652642658386994noreply@blogger.com