feisty

during her vice-presidential campaign, Geraldine Ferraro was referred to as "spunky" and "feisty"; Michael Geis (The Language of Politics ) says both words are normally reserved for individuals and animals that are not inherently potent or powerful; "one can call a Pekinese dog spunky or feisty, but one would not, I think, call a Great Dane spunky or feisty." And the press would certainly not have labeled President George Bush, then Ferraro's opponent, as spunky or feisty. "Numerous examples of the special or sexist treatment of female leaders include ... use of the terms 'oppressive,' 'feisty,' and 'pushy' to describe behavior in women that would be called 'tough' and 'decisive' in men" (Thalia Zepatos and Elizabeth Kaufman, Women for a Change ). See also perky/pert.