In simple terms, implying double standards means making something acceptable for one group and not the other, or one gender is praised for doing something while the other is ridiculed for doing the same thing. It’s an issue I’m sick of and I’m sure others are, too, so I took it upon myself to get some feedback from others, via social media, to uncover common double standards we are growing tired of. The fact is women are judged on things that we have no problem with if it’s done by a man. Let’s just get right to the point and shed some light on a few of the many, annoying double standards that society insists on supporting.
- Who has the right to be called a “Boss”? Okay, let me explain this one. Women are okay in the work place, as long as they aren’t the ones calling the shots, right? If a man is making moves, giving orders, using his authority and exerting his power – he’s a boss. Let a woman do the same thing and she’s “tripping”, “intimidating”, “arrogant” or even that infamous “B” word.
- “She has to know how to cook”. If you ask a guy what he wants in a girl, he will more than likely list that as one of his many standards. Fellas, stop expecting your girlfriend/future wife to know how to cook if all you can bring to the table is Top Ramen.
- He’s just being a man. It’s totally okay for a man to embrace his sexuality, but when a woman does it she’s a hoe. She doesn’t even have to be engaging in sex to be called that; The word is thrown around freely, but it never hits a man. You can be called that just by the clothing you choose to wear. People have been quick to say, in defense of men, “He’s a man. That’s what men do” or “boys will be boys”. Stop it with these excuses. Women have just as much right to live in their sexuality as the next man without being called that downgrading term. However, if a woman can be described as such, then so can a man.
- Everyone expects a woman to be clean and keep her living space tidy 24/7. Now, as a person, I love my things to be cleaned and organized. I see no problem with that. The problem is that cleaning has been made as an expectation of a woman but have y’all seen some of these guys’ rooms? The ones making posts about how females should be living are the ones with last week’s dinner plate underneath their bed. You need to practice cleanliness as well, guys.
- Women receive more judgment than men when it comes to weight. Women are even pressured more to lose weight than men are. An overweight man is okay to deal with, but an overweight woman is called all sorts of words and nobody wants to end up with her, so they say (sarcasm here). We can both get together and get in shape, but placing a woman beneath you because she does not look like what you think she should is a no no, especially when your homeboy looks like…never mind.
- If a girl gets emotional she is looked at as crazy and extra or just seeking attention, but if a guy cries, or sheds one tear, everyone thinks it is just the cutest thing and whole heartedly praise it. Weren’t you just side-eyeing that girl for crying?
I think we could go on and on but the point is double standards are only destroying us. It’s unfair and unnecessary. Each and every one of us can improve in some area but we seem to hold these standards above one another.