Men interrupting women does not a patriarchy make






But as #MeToo heated up and women became outraged at the perceived disregard for their opinions and stature, the whole idea that interrupting a gal (but not a guy) was harassment of a sexual nature. We in this evolved era incorrectly believe we are the only ones who have taken a stand against this cruel and humiliating treatment. One of the most famous examples of a woman pointing out to her significant male other that he needed to pay attention was our second first lady, Abigail Adams, who famously instructed her husband John to “remember the ladies” when corresponding with him during the Continental Congress.



And something that happened the other day confirmed my suspicion, and my despair. Pennsylvania state Sen. Katie Muth was on the floor of the Senate, attempting to read the full text of a letter that had been sent to her by a constituent protesting the decision to cut back on the cash assistance program to the poor. It’s legitimate to be angered about that, and I actually agree with Muth on the substance of the debate.


Women across the nation decided to turn Katie Muth, who just kept talking, into some Joan of Altoona. She kept reading a letter while some man was trying to get her to respect the rules of the Senate. It was a shining moment of courage for some women, as if Muth was leading all of the silent and repressed women into battle against the big bad meanie men who have kept them down for so long.


Let’s be honest. Being interrupted is not fun. I’ve had it done to me, I do it, and it’s disrespectful. It’s also human, and gender-neutral. Despite this perception that women are interrupted more often than men, I can tell you from personal experience that it is personality, and not gender, that determines who is most likely to be the interruptor and who is most likely to be the interruptee.


Christine Flowers is an attorney and a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer who can be reached at cflowers1961@gmail.com.