Liswood: "I do think the women develop a fairly tough skin.. they'll do it in their own ways and they may do it gently and kindly but you can't possibly withstand the kinds of personal exposure that these women have and not have a sense of toughness about you, it can range from looking tough a la Lady Thatcher or looking tough like Mary Robinson."

Afshar: "For a very long time women have hidden the hardness in them under a soft exterior, so women have been given the attribute of gentleness and softness when what they are really doing is bargaining and negotiation. And when some women come into a position where they no longer need to pretend to be soft, then people complain that they're tough, that they're hard they're like men. But when men are hard, tough, and stand on their principles they are admired."