Double Standards
As gender equality is becoming more and more important and advocated for, people are starting to shed light on the double standards that exist within society. Double standards refer to instances when society will stigmatize one gender for doing something or acting a certain way, but will praise the other gender for doing the same. Double standards exist for both genders and they are incredibly harmful, not only for children’s development (as children may get the wrong misconceptions), but they also place a heavy stigma around certain behaviors when there should not be one in the first place.
Double standards exist in the workplace. A wage gap still exists between genders in most countries. Universally, there are more men in leadership positions than women, even though women have the same qualifications and skills. Successful women or female leaders are perceived to be aggressive and bossy in their roles, but male leaders are considered to be powerful. Assertive women are also seen as unsuitable managers just because of their gender, while their male counterparts are seemingly “perfect” for the job. In early childhood, male teachers are considered to be “girly” because society perceives pre-school and elementary teachers to be a feminine job, even though males also possess the same skills and qualifications. There are double standards in the media and popular culture as well. When male celebrities cheat, it causes a big stir in the media with everyone pointing fingers. But when female celebrities cheat, there is less publicity surrounding it. Furthermore, girls often sexualize young boys (sometimes unconsciously, without thinking about it) but if men did the same to young girls, they would automatically be deemed as sexual predators and looked down upon.
Double standards can also apply in home and familial settings. Women tend to have a greater chance of getting away with conducting domestic abuse than men. This is because men are traditionally the perpetrators, but women are also fully capable of engaging in domestic abuse, whether it be physical, emotional or verbal. Now picture a playground setting: there’s a woman sitting alone. We would just think that this woman is waiting for her child. But what if it was a man instead? Chances are, people could perceive him as a potential pedophile or child molester. Additionally, women are expected to settle down in their 20s and 30s and start a family. However, men can stay single until they are in their 40s and no one bats an eye or makes any comments. Women are also expected to change their last name when they get married in most cultures. There is a stigma around single mothers, who often get shamed or singled out. However, if the roles were reversed, single fathers are likely to be praised for raising a child on their own.
Toxic masculinity and societal standards tend to play into why some double standards exist. When women have strong opinions and share them, they are attacked more for being so opinionated, while men are praised for doing the same. Another example is that women can cry and be as emotional as they want, because it is supposedly in their nature. But if men cry or show emotion, they are seen as being weak or not manly. Societal standards have made it harder for men to openly express their feelings. Women are called derogatory terms like “wh*re” or “sl*t” if they have multiple sexual partners, but when men do it, they are seen as “cool” and are even praised and encouraged. When men claim they are sexually assaulted, people tend to not believe them, linking back to the aforementioned point about how women are fully capable of being abusive.
These are just a few examples of double standards existing in several different contexts. Double standards are inherently toxic and unfair. However, they are so ingrained into society and societal standards that it would be difficult to eradicate them.
Sources:
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/lets-discuss-the-double-standards-surrounding-domestic-abuse/
