Elizabeth II Quotes

In our cultural history, all emotions have been more culturally acceptable to women.

Confidence in a bloke would be arrogance in a woman. For years, I didn't give interviews because I was scared of people judging me or thinking I was arrogant.

There's still a narrower band of acceptable behavior for women than men.

Why on earth have I, because I'm a woman, got to be nice to everyone?

A lot of times, I get asked, 'Do you feel you have a responsibility to young girls to be a role model?' I don't see that happening as much to guys. I feel like, just because I'm a girl, I'm supposed to take more responsibility? Is that how it works?

A man has every season while a woman only has the right to spring.

I got tired of books where the boy is a bit thick and the girl's very clever. Why does it have to such an opposition? Why can't they be like the girls and boys that I know personally, who are equally funny and equally cross? Who get things equally wrong and are equally brave? And make the same mistakes?

Men naturally resent it when women take greater liberties in dress than men are allowed.

While gossip among women is universally ridiculed as low and trivial, gossip among men, especially if it is about women, is called theory, or idea, or fact.

Let a man do what he will by a single woman, the world is encouragingly apt to think Marriage a sufficient amends.

Girls have an unfair advantage over men: if they can't get what they want by being smart, they can get it by being dumb.

Much-derided chick lit, chick flicks, and chick magazines have left ambitious women in a bind. Why is it that I, a young woman, can read 'GQ,' enjoy 'Fight Club,' and subscribe to 'Thrillist,' while the idea of a guy doing the same with 'Glamour,' '27 Dresses' and 'Daily Candy' is nearly unheard of?

People don't want to see women doing things they don't think women should do.

Some men think that if you're empowered and sure of yourself then you're a man-hater, but it's like, 'No, I'm just the same as you are, but maybe just a tiny bit more confident.'

If a woman gets tough in negotiations, she's difficult, whereas a man would be considered a brilliant businessman.

What I do know is that traditional gender roles are very real and flipping the norm is difficult for even the strongest, funniest, smartest men.

Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.

Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, "She doesn't have what it takes." They will say, "Women don't have what it takes.”

The press, many-tongued, surpassed itself in reproaches upon these women who had so far departed from their sphere as to speak in public.

We live with a distinct double standard about male and female aggression. Women's aggression isn't considered real. It isn't dangerous; it's only cute. Or it's always self-defense or otherwise inspired by a man. In the rare case where a woman is seen as genuinely responsible, she is branded a monster - an 'unnatural' woman.

Our discomfort with female leadership runs deep. We call little girls bossy. We never really call little boys bossy, because a boy is expected to lead, so it doesn't surprise or offend.

If women talk in ways expected of them or project a feminine demeanor, it's seen as weak. But if they talk in ways associated with men or bosses, then they're seen as too aggressive. Whatever they do violates one or the other expectation: either you're not talking as you should as a woman or as boss.

My mom always had a softer spot for boys, as a lot of Irish women do. If you were a girl, you'd have to sing or wear a pretty dress. But boys could just sit there and be brilliant for sitting there and being boys. It makes you that little bit more forward. Pushy. I was singing, always.

We're not accustomed to giving women the space to express the full range of emotions and flaws that men are permitted. Anger and aggressiveness aren't part of the scale of what is acceptable behavior in women, whereas men - in reality and in fiction - are allowed a much fuller range of emotion.

It gets frustrating when my male counterparts are questioned about their game or performance, whereas I am fielding questions on gender stereotypes and my ability to stay committed to the game on account of my gender.