Reflecting on my time spent at Washington Days, I thought about the different ways in which we as women can advocate for ourselves. It occurred to me, that even if you couldn’t physically be at Washington Days or your local congress men and women’s office, there are still plenty of ways you can be involved in advocacy efforts for your loved ones and the bleeding disorders community. For instance, you can write an email or letter to your local congress person’s office.
However, certain questions often come to mind, ‘Do I want to sound polite or only firm?’ Can I be polite and firm at the same time when writing a letter or email?’ This question brings me to a concept that some people may debate: as a woman, does my politeness, whether in a letter or email, reflect a tone that is too nice or forgiving and play a role in how it’s received? Do I need to avoid certain words when I write because it may be misinterpreted as a lack of confidence? Honestly, this is a question that I can’t answer but there is an app that is trying to help women to do so.
The Just Not Sorry app is an extension of google chrome in which it highlights keywords and phrases that “might undermine the point you are trying to make.” Tami Reiss developed the app after going to a networking event and hearing many of the female presenters discuss how they used the words “just” and “sorry” in emails when they didn’t mean it. Some journalists felt the app would help women express themselves more clearly while others felt it would make women feel as though they had to apologize for their choice of words. Harriet Minter of The Guardian broke down the supposed “polite” words of an email and expressed her views on the app. Check out the link to the article and let us know in the comments section, would you use this app? Do you ever have questions about how to write advocacy letters or emails?
https://www.theguardian.com/women-in-leadership/2016/jan/14/the-just-not-sorry-app-is-keeping-women-trapped-in-a-mans-world
