Political voices

Berit Ås (1928-) has been an important voice in Norwegian social debate for generations. When she began her political carreer in the 1970s, she often felt silly and overlooked in meetings. She began paying attention to what her male colleagues did to unbalance her so easily. Using theories from philosophy and psychology, she was able to summarize and popularize their methods. She then held classes for female politicians, teaching them the master suppression techniques and how to deal with them. These techniques are of course not exclusively employed by men and on women, anyone can be subjected to them. However, a person "on top" will find them easier to use.

The five "original" master suppression techniques:

MAKING INVISIBLE. When a person is being forgotten, passed by or "run over". Deprives the person of a sense of self, and reminds her or him that they are less worth, unimportant and insignificant.
RIDICULE. When a person's contribution is mocked, laughed at or compared to animalistic behaviour, like that of chickens or geese. When women are characterized as more hysterical, are told that they are only interesting as sexual objects or are described as wicked witches, it is ridiculing. These characterizations are very rarely used on men.
WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION. When somebody, as a matter of course, only adress "their own". "Outsiders" are not given important information, whether it be in the workplace or on the political arena.
DOUBLE BIND. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Can be employed against anyone you are prejudiced towards. Example: If a woman is dressed revealingly, she is improper, if she is dressed conservatively, she is a prude.
HEAP BLAME. Put to shame. A person is constantly being told she or he is not sufficiently accomplished and responsible for the job. Can be employed through ridiculing, humiliations, exposition and defaming.