"I think men are afraid to be with a successful woman, because we are terribly strong, we know what we want and we are not fragile enough"

In this quote, Shirley Bassey touches on the perceived dynamics in between gender, success, and interpersonal relationships. Through her words, Bassey reviews social stereotypes and the prospective insecurities they can engender in interactions between men and women, especially when the standard power balance is challenged by a woman's success.

The declaration starts with the observation that males might be "scared to be with an effective female." This suggests a deep-rooted social conditioning where conventional gender roles designate success and strength predominantly to guys. When a lady embodies these qualities, it may disrupt the conventional expectations of masculinity and womanhood. Bassey highlights a prospective worry among men that could come from a viewed risk to their own identity and societal functions when partnered with a female whose achievements and sense of self are securely established.

Explaining successful females as "awfully strong" and knowing what they desire establishes the idea that these women have a clear orientation and agency. This strength may be frightening due to the fact that it defies the frequently glamorized notion of a "reliant" or "needy" partner-- one who is easily formed or affected. Rather, an effective woman may demand equality and partnership, needing males to review their own behaviors and expectations.

Moreover, the phrase "we are not fragile enough" challenges the old-fashioned stereotypes of women as fragile or requiring security. Bassey asserts that a successful woman's toughness might disallow some males from presuming conventional protective or dominant functions, thus demanding more nuanced and fair relationships. This direct challenge to fragility concerns the cultural story around womanhood and encourages a reevaluation of what strength and success indicate throughout genders.

In essence, Bassey's quote serves as an indictment of social standards that fearfully confine males and females within restrictive roles. It calls for a more comprehensive approval of female strength and success, and the requirement for relationships based upon shared regard and equality, where strength-- despite gender-- is popular and not feared.