Below is a list of double standards I would like to discuss that we, as people, need to change.
- Cheating
- In my previous post I discussed how we (this generation) have normalized cheating. If a man cheats on his significant other, it is not a big deal because that is what is expected and accepted. However, if a woman cheats on her significant other, then everyone acts as if it is the end of the world.
- Career Choice
- Someone brought to my attention how career choices are pushed onto children unintentionally. Often times little girls are told they can be whatever they want to be in the world when they grow up, but little boys are told what they cannot be. For instance, if a girl says she would like to become something that is a predominantly male profession, then we encourage her and push her to achieve that dream. If a boy says he would like to become something that is a predominantly female profession, then we discourage him and talk him into pursuing something else.
- “For the Streets”
- A man can “talk to” or date multiple women at one time and be called a player. When a woman “talk to” or dates multiple men she becomes a hoe, whore, trifling, “for the streets”, and gets her name dragged through the mud.
- Breasts
- Let’s discuss breast showing vs. breast feeding for a second. We have normalized sexual objectification in our culture. In the media, all you see are female rappers showing all of their breasts. You see models showing all of their breasts. That is okay, right? So, why is it such an issue when a mother chooses to breastfeed her child? Double Standard!!
- Assertiveness
- When a man is assertive that makes him a great leader. When a woman is assertive that makes her bossy. (Leader = positive connotation Bossy = negative connotation)
Those are 5 different scenarios, but there are plenty more. The double standards listed above I believe we can all change. We cannot stop someone from cheating, but we can stop how we judge a woman versus a man. We can encourage ALL children to be whatever they want to be. It is okay for men and women to casually date, if they choose to do so, until they find the right person for them. Let’s stop shaming women who choose to breastfeed their children when we aren’t shaming other women for showing their breasts. Then, last but not least, stop labeling a woman who’s assertive as being bossy when a man with the same characteristic trait is considered a leader.
Love 101 