In an interview in the New York Times Magazine, Susan Faludi, author of Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, explained her reticence as a public speaker: "For the author of what was widely termed an 'angry' and 'forceful' book, I exhibit a timorous verbal demeanor that belies my barracuda blurbs." Why is this so? "[B]oth sexes fear public speaking... [but] women—particularly women challenging the status quo—seem to be more afraid, and with good reason. We do have more at stake. Men risk a loss of face; women a loss of femininity. Men are chagrined if they blunder at the podium; women face humiliation either way. If we come across as commanding, our womanhood is called into question. If we reveal emotion, we are too hormonally driven to be taken seriously."

Despite these formidable obstacles, Faludi reported that she recently gave a forceful speech at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. "My voice got surer, my delivery rising. A charge passed between me and the audience, uniting and igniting us both."

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