Speaking from the Heart: Gender and the Social Meaning of Emotion

Who gets called ‘emotional’? And what does it mean when that happens? What tells us that a person is ‘speaking from the heart’? The prevailing stereotype is that she is emotional, while he is not. In Speaking From the Heart Professor Shields draws on examples from everyday life, contemporary culture and the latest research, to reveal how culturally shared beliefs about emotion shape our identities as women and men. She shows how the discourse of emotion is fundamentally concerned with judgements about authenticity and legitimacy of experience, themes deeply implicated in creating and maintaining gender boundaries. This fascinating exploration of gender and emotion in a clear and engaging style takes up topics as diverse as nineteenth-century ideals of womanhood, weeping politicians, children’s play and the Superbowl. It is a must read for anyone interested in the way emotion affects our everyday lives. Speaking from the Heart by Stephanie Shields has received a Distinguished Publication Award by The Association for Women in Psychology.