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November 11, 2010

Handshaking American Style with a Woman - A Soft Shake?

By June Werdlow Rogers

Do American women receive handshakes different from men?

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The handshake around the world in Indonesia is making headlines because reportedly Government Minister Tifatul Sembiring was hesitant to shake First Lady Michelle Obama's hand because she is a woman. Video footage shows Mr. Sembiring using two hands when shaking Mrs. Obama's hand. Lot's of discussion has ensued -- but are things much different in America?

In an early manuscript for my new book, I described a "soft shake" some men extend to women that's strikingly similar to the one Mrs. Obama got. Here's what my informal survey of some men revealed: "he shakes a woman's hand more loosely than he does a man's, and then he puts his other hand on top to reinforce this "nicer" handshake." .

The question is just how prevalent is it in America that men extend handshakes reserved just for women. If you are a man, have you ever given the soft shake to a woman? If you are a woman have you ever received the soft shake from a man?



Authors Bio:
DEA Special Agent in Charge (retired) June Werdlow Rogers (formerly June W. Stansbury) holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology earned at the University of Maryland. She has 28 years of law enforcement experience from 3 different agencies including the Detroit Police Department and Central Michigan University's Department of Public Safety.

Ms. Werdlow Rogers is the Author of Becoming Ethically Marketable: A Guide for Criminal Justice Majors and Recruits (available from staggspublishing.com). She also was a contributing author in the book Police Psychology into the 21st Century (Kurke and Scrivner) writing chapter 11 on Counseling and Diversity Issues (available through amazon. Ms. Werdlow Rogers' newest book CRACKING THE DOUBLE STANDARD CODE: A Guide to Successful Navigation in the Workplace is scheduled for release on June 1, 2010 by Cable Publishing (cablepublishing). Other articles written by Ms. Werdlow Rogers may be accessed at her expert page.

Ms. Werdlow Rogers has been a speaker on numerous occasions among diverse audiences, including national professional conferences, colleges and universities, and at numerous training seminars. She has made public appearances on television and radio, and is heavily quoted in printed media accessible on the internet.

Ms. Werdlow Rogers has received numerous awards. She has held membership in many organizations including the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, served on the executive staff for the Interagency Committed of Women in Federal Law Enforcement (ICWIFLE), and was at one time a church trustee. Moreover, Ms. Werdlow Rogers developed a videotape and presentation entitled "Dangerous Liaisons: Drug Dealers and You," designed to inform people about the dangers of involvement with drug dealers, and to provide information about how drug dealers behaviorally operate. She continues to educate community groups in a presentation entitled "Risky Business: How to Avoid Involvement in the Drug Trade," in an effort to reduce drug facilitation. In 2007, her efforts led to the nationally recognized Generations Rx: Children in the Medicine Cabinet, a public awareness effort aimed at reducing pharmaceutical drug abuse through a unique forum. This novel campaign piloted in Brockton, MA offered a drug identification and drop zone, permitting the public, for the first time, to properly dispose of unwanted drugs and learn the identity of any surrendered drug that the participants suspected was being abused by loved ones.

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