# Les femmes à la tribune ! Vaincre la male-diction | Marlène Coulomb | TEDxTBSEducation Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKEHc31wEEA Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/PKEHc31wEEA Generated: 2026-03-12T16:32:57.955+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The speaker argues that the silence imposed upon women who speak publicly—termed "male-diction"—is rooted in historical, social, and political structures that privilege male discourse, drawing parallels from ancient Greece to modern times where women's voices are systematically silenced or delegitimized, even when they possess expertise. **Key Points:** - The speaker recounts a personal anecdote from her youth where she felt completely outside of the spirit of an event because of the overwhelming male dominance in discourse. - She references historical examples, such as the silences imposed on women in Ancient Greece and the silencing of women like Philomène and Péritous, to illustrate the long history of excluding female voices. - The speaker cites research showing that in contexts like political assemblies, women's speech is often deemed less credible or relevant compared to men's, even when discussing the same subject matter. - She highlights the concept of 'male-diction' (male-diction) as the systematic silencing or delegitimization of women's public speech, which she observed in historical texts and modern political discourse. - Referencing Michel de Certeau's analysis of the 1648 Edict of Villers-Cotterêts, the speaker points out that even when women spoke, their words were often confiscated or dismissed by men in power. - The speaker emphasizes that this silencing persists today, noting that in recent university settings, the ratio of male to female speakers was heavily skewed, and even when women spoke, their contributions were often undervalued. - The core message advocates for actively encouraging and supporting women to take the floor, as their lived experiences and perspectives are crucial and often ignored by established masculine narratives. ![Screenshot at 00:07: The speaker begins her talk on stage, referencing an anecdote from her youth to introduce the theme of feeling excluded from public discourse due to gender bias.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PKEHc31wEEA/00-00-07.jpg) **Context:** The speaker, Marlène Coulomb, delivers a TEDx talk centered on the systemic silencing of women in public speaking forums, which she metaphorically calls 'male-diction' (male-diction). She uses historical and contemporary examples from philosophy, politics, and academia to demonstrate how societal structures have historically favored male discourse, often leading to the dismissal or erasure of women's contributions, regardless of their knowledge or authority on a subject. ## Detailed Analysis Marlène Coulomb discusses the phenomenon she terms 'male-diction'—the systematic silencing or delegitimization of women's speech in public arenas. She opens with a personal story about feeling completely disconnected during an event in her youth because the discourse was entirely male-dominated, noting that this experience was not unique. Coulomb traces this issue through history, citing figures like Philomène and Péritous from Ancient Greece, whose words were manipulated or ignored by men, illustrating a millennia-long pattern of silencing women. She further points to modern academic and political settings, noting that scientific studies confirm a bias where women's speech, even when expert, is often perceived as less valuable than men's. The speaker argues that this bias manifests in the professional world, citing the underrepresentation of women in high-profile speaker lineups (like a 'Top Ten' list where only men were featured post-COVID). She emphasizes that this is not accidental but a product of historically constructed power dynamics where men have controlled the 'space of speech.' Coulomb concludes by urging the audience, particularly women, to actively claim their right to speak without fear of reprisal or being silenced, as their experiences and perspectives are fundamentally different and necessary for a balanced society. ### Personal Reflection on Silence - Recalling a childhood event where the speaker felt completely excluded from the spirit of the moment due to overwhelming male discourse - Sharing an anecdote about taping her mouth shut in school to remain silent. ### Historical Context of Silencing - Citing ancient examples like Philomène and Péritous, whose words were manipulated, to show that silencing women is a historical pattern. ### Modern Manifestations - Discussing contemporary research confirming that women's speech is often perceived as less credible than men's, even in academic settings like university assemblies. ### The Concept of 'Male-diction' - Defining the term as the systematic confiscation or dismissal of women's words by male-dominated structures, reinforced by societal norms and history. ### The Role of Education and Power - Noting that educational institutions and those in power, like governments, often perpetuate this imbalance by implicitly encouraging men to speak and women to remain silent. ### Call to Action - Urging women, especially younger generations, to overcome this imposed silence and claim their right to speak, asserting that their voices, shaped by different life experiences, are vital for societal balance. ![Screenshot at 00:05: The speaker reflects on an early experience of exclusion, linking it to the broader theme of gendered silence in discourse.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PKEHc31wEEA/00-00-05.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:24: The speaker uses hand gestures emphatically while describing how she was taught to silence herself, referencing a teacher's comment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PKEHc31wEEA/00-00-24.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:26: The speaker expresses astonishment \('Waouh!'\) at the historical extent of the silencing culture she uncovered.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PKEHc31wEEA/00-01-26.jpg) ![Screenshot at 04:02: The speaker contrasts the experiences of men and women, using hand gestures to delineate the differing paths to public speaking.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PKEHc31wEEA/00-04-02.jpg)