Ashrawi believes that women use language in a more direct and honest way - that they are less concerned with protecting their own egos and are more interested in the issues. She sees this as part of the different approach which women bring to politics.

"I do think women use language differently in a way which is distinctive from the way in which men use language. Language cannot be separated from mindset or from attitude and I think women tend to deal with the issues, and therefore tend to go straight to the point without attempting to safeguard their own egos. So in many ways the language used by women is much more immediate, direct and sometimes even more daring in questioning the given truth."