Do girls really talk more than guys do? Photo courtesy of Christina (wocintechchat.com) on Unsplash.

We’ve all been in a class where someone was deemed the ‘yapper.’ The kid who always has something to say, and somehow, it’s always a girl.

Yes, males and females can both talk a lot, but it’s viewed differently when a man does it compared to a woman. If a guy talks a lot, people glorify it and make it okay, because they’re the ‘class clown.’ Yet, as soon as a girl opens her mouth to say something, it is classified as her talking too much or ‘yapping.’

The stereotype of women who talk too much is untrue; studies from 2007 showed that “men and women utter about the same number of words every day—an average of about 16,000.”

So, if you’re a girl who might be perceived as someone who talks too much, you’re probably not. In reality, you’re probably talking the same amount as any other extroverted person would.

Throughout my life, from parent-teacher conferences to family gatherings, I’ve been told I talk too much—no matter what the situation is or who the person is. Some might see this as a negative, while others might see it as a positive. I personally see it as both.

Talking too much can get you in trouble, but it can also get you out of trouble. To use your voice is to stand up for yourself, express your feelings, and make your opinion known.

When girls talk a lot, it just leads to people being filled with annoyance. While in reality, it influences others to speak up as well. It can be something as simple as a hand raise that changes everything; others feel like it’ll be easier to ask a question after others say something first.

Freshman year, right before a test, the class was given the opportunity to ask questions right before an exam…dead silence. Students were afraid to ask questions that could make or break our test scores. I whispered to my friends about the questions we had. We all exchanged glances, waiting for someone, anyone, to answer. We knew we needed help, but we were all too scared to ask.

I raised my hand and asked the first question, followed by a close friend of mine, and then others. People spoke up because I had spoken first. That moment really helped me to realize that sometimes being a ‘yapper’ isn’t about talking too much, but rather it’s more about talking first.

Being the reason someone speaks up is my favorite part about talking. I like knowing that because I was able to ask a question, helping another person to do the same is just an absolute blessing in my eyes.

Yes, yapping can be a lot for some people. Though for others, having someone who talks a lot is key in a friendship. Most people that I’m friends with are people who are on the quieter, more introverted side, which is not a bad thing. It’s good because if they’re scared to say something to someone, I’m always here to do it.

Though introverts and extroverts seem like different types of people, they have the same amount of dopamine; however, “extroverts have a more active dopamine reward network.” The result of this is that extroverted people react to situations differently than introverted people. If an extroverted person were getting ready to go to a social event, they’d be excited, but an introverted person would feel apathetic.

Extroverted girls are just excited to get to be social. With school being one of the most sociable places, you’d assume this would lead to an extrovert talking a lot.

The pros heavily outweigh the cons of  ‘yapping.’ If people call you loud or annoying for speaking your mind, just know that it’s not about you. It’s the fact that society tells girls to be quiet while calling boys confident for doing the same thing. So, keep speaking up, because being a talkative girl is not the problem. The problem is that the world still thinks girls should stay quiet.