March Essay Competition

March 9 — March 22, 2026,

Prompt

The average man, regardless of creed, family background, religion, personal convictions, or social, economic, or marital status, will always feel threatened or intimidated by a successful, strong, independent woman.

Competition Home Page

Essay

Score

Rethinking the Myth of the Intimidated Man

By Eniola Enikanorogbon

March 14, 2026 · 965 words · 5 min read

🥈 2nd Place

Every human being is first a product of their habitual building blocks before becoming a mirror that reflects their environment. These two factors will form the foundation upon which I defend my stance vis-à-vis this tête-à-tête.Human reactions, including feelings of intimidation or admiration, are influenced by a complex interaction of personal experiences and social environments. In his work on ethics, Aristotle emphasized that character develops through repeated patterns of behavior and reflection.Modern psychology further suggests that individuals internalize certain expectations about relationships and social roles through observation and experience. Behavioral scholars such as John B. Watson argued that environment shapes behavioral patterns, while Albert Bandura demonstrated through Social Learning Theory that people often model behaviors they observe in their surroundings.These perspectives help illustrate that human reactions toward social dynamics such as success, independence, and authority are rarely uniform across all individuals.Therefore, I disagree with the statement that the average man will always feel threatened by a successful, strong, independent woman, because such a reaction cannot reasonably be regarded as universal. Human responses differ significantly depending on upbringing, personal confidence, and the values cultivated within one’s social environment.I deemed it not unnecessary to define the key subjects of this discussion, as clarity is essential for understanding the nuances of the argument.By “average man,” I refer to a male individual who reflects common social experiences and expectations within society. He is neither an extreme exception nor an extraordinary anomaly, but someone whose outlook has been shaped by typical cultural and familial influences.A “successful, strong, independent woman” refers to a female individual who is self-reliant, confident, and accomplished in her personal or professional pursuits. She is capable of making decisions autonomously and sustaining herself emotionally, socially, or financially without reliance on external validation.These definitions are not intended to reinforce stereotypes but to establish a framework for examining whether the reaction described in the prompt can truly be considered universal.Many individuals grow up in households where traditional expectations place the man in the position of primary authority and provider. In such environments, some men may develop the assumption that a woman’s loyalty or respect is tied to the man’s success or ability to lead the household. When such individuals later encounter highly accomplished and independent women, they may interpret that independence as a challenge to their perceived role.However, this reaction cannot be assumed to characterize the average man in all contexts. Societies are diverse, and individuals are raised within varying family structures and cultural environments that shape their understanding of partnership and mutual respect.My own upbringing provides a practical illustration of this perspective. I grew up in a home where both my parents were successful in their respective fields: my father as a real estate businessman and my mother as a medical practitioner and entrepreneur.Despite my mother’s accomplishments, my father never viewed her success as a threat to his role within the family. Instead, he often expressed a principle that shaped my understanding of responsibility and partnership. According to him, the assets and earnings of a woman belong to her, while those of the father belong to the family. He would often remark that he had never concerned himself with the details of my mother’s income, because he did not believe it was something to be demanded or controlled.In his view, whatever she chose to contribute to the household was an act of goodwill rather than obligation. This perspective demonstrated that a man’s confidence in his responsibilities need not be diminished by the success of the woman beside him.Beyond personal experience, broader societal examples further illustrate that male responses to female success are not uniform. Across Africa and other parts of the world, there are numerous instances of successful women whose accomplishments coexist with supportive and confident partners.For instance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala rose to become the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), one of the most influential global economic institutions. Her achievements did not exist in isolation from her family life; rather, they developed alongside a long-standing marriage built on mutual respect.Similarly, the remarkable rise of Folorunso Alakija as one of Africa’s wealthiest entrepreneurs did not undermine the stability of her marriage to Modupe Alakija. Their partnership demonstrates that male identity and confidence can coexist with extraordinary female success.Political leadership also offers further illustration. When Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became Africa’s first elected female head of state, her leadership did not provoke universal intimidation among men in political or social spaces. Many male colleagues, advisers, and citizens worked alongside her leadership without perceiving it as a threat.It is important to acknowledge that these examples are not presented merely as rare anomalies. While they may represent highly visible individuals, they reflect broader patterns of relationships in which men and women cooperate as partners rather than competitors. Such dynamics can be observed in families, professional environments, and communities across many societies.The presence of these examples demonstrates that reactions to female success are varied and context-dependent. Even without statistical enumeration, their existence challenges the absolutist nature of the claim that the average man will always feel threatened.Human social behavior is inherently diverse, and attitudes toward gender roles continue to evolve across cultures and generations. Many men admire, respect, and support accomplished women, seeing their achievements not as threats but as sources of inspiration and shared progress.In conclusion, the assertion that the average man will always feel threatened by a successful, strong, independent woman oversimplifies the complexity of human behavior. While some men may respond with insecurity due to particular social expectations or personal experiences, such reactions cannot reasonably be considered universal. Differences in upbringing, cultural perspective, and personal maturity produce a wide range of responses. Consequently, the claim that intimidation is an inevitable reaction among the average man fails to account for the diversity of human attitudes and relationships that exist within society.

Final score

Average from 2 judges

84.8%

Judge 1 — 80.5%

Judge 2 — 89.0%

Average — 84.8%