The Body (Often) Tells the Truth

When your frustrated gestures and missteps and bodily distress signals are read as a sign of your incompetence, not a problem with the world, you’re often being done an injustice

“It’s open,” he said, just a touch impatiently. I had just tried the handle of the car I was about to get into. The driver, my dear friend, following a few paces behind me, thought he had unlocked it. It had relocked automatically, though, as I found when I tried the handle. 

It was only later that it struck me: rather than assume that I was competent, a…