The fairer sex should also be the quieter, according to a new study that found both sexes look more harshly upon couples in which she does the talking. Gender equality be danged, "We have these gender stereotypes where we expect men to be dominant," the lead researcher told LiveScience. "If they're not speaking and taking charge they're not being a man."
And love 'em or hate 'em, people tend to embrace those stereotypes: Study participants consistently rated assertive women unlikable, while quiet men were perceived as less competent. And while non-stop babbling doesn't necessarily translate to dominating a relationship, says the researcher, "If you're talking more, you're getting your ideas heard more." (More women stories.)