How Should We Portray Female Leaders?

The questions we ask and the words we use to frame the conversation about women in leadership can be biased and offensive if we are not careful. Our choice of language can reinforce negative stereotypes of female leaders. Women should not be portrayed as “bossy, emotional or too nice” just as men are not to be described as “chauvinistic, insensitive and domineering.” There are biases that hold female leaders back. We need to identify them, examine them, and get rid of them. Generalizations are not helpful in dealing with this topic. Certain leaders who write on this topic would not use generalizations about minority groups as “lazy, uneducated and aggressive.” They should no less use negative generalizations about women.

Maleness and femaleness are both reflections of God’s nature and character. We need both men and women in roles of leadership to give a fully rounded reflection of God’s perspective on things.