Double Standards
Photo Credit: Jessica Cody
Jahniya Mcbride, Writer
December 2, 2011
Filed under Opinions and Views, Top Stories
What are double standards? Double standards are seen everywhere from media, magazines, movies, books, and television. It comes from the expectations made for men and women by the same person who dubbed the infamous ”unwritten rule book.”
One common double standard in relationships is when a boy is walking with his girlfriend while looking at other girls. Then the guy gets mad when the girl makes a comment about a good looking celebrity or does the same thing and look at another boy. Why do guys get mad at their girl for doing the same thing they do? It’s again one of the rules in the unwritten book. When asked would he get mad at his girlfriend, junior Kris Hall says “Yes, I would get mad.”
Another sticky situation that is still being debated is whether or not the male should pay even if the female made the first move. In most conditions where the male makes the move on the female and ask her on the date, he pays. On the other hand in rare cases when the woman asks the man out on a date, the man is still looked at to pay or at lease offer to pay. Jennifer Reese, a sophomore, says “Yes the guy should still pay if the girl ask.” If someone asks ‘why’ it all comes back to that unwritten rule. Most people would respond ‘well that’s what a man should do.’ The emphasis is placed on the words “should do.” That comes down to the gender stereotype on what men and women are expected of in relationships.
The typical feminine stereotype role is to marry and have kids. Therefore, women are looked at to be vulnerable, nurturing and caring. The male stereotype role is to provide for his family and to have the more dominant role over the female.
Double standards in relationships are most known to end with domestic violence. People believe that 95% of domestic violence come from the male abusing the female. With only 5% comes from the woman abusing the male. Since people rarely hear about that woman who abuses her man, when the case does happen, it’s easily blamed on “self-defense.” Even if the woman does get punished for domestic violence would she be punished as badly as a man? Sophomore Deon Baldwin says “It depends on what started it for it to be self-defense.” Most of the time women are the victims in these situations.
For the people who still believe in good ole “traditional” gender roles for males and females are keeping the double standards alive and kickin’. Having two sets of rules for men and women also come from the home. Since birth, everyone has been raised on gender stereotypes (recall that when kids are born, boys wear blue, girls wear pink).
Parents also have two different standards for their children. If they have an older girl they may treat her with stricter rules than if they have a younger boy. Why is the younger boy not getting as punished as severely as his older sister? It is most likely because he is a boy, and for some reason parents are less strict on boys than girls no matter the age. If a boy brings his older girlfriend home to his parents its looked at as normal for some parents. On the other hand if a girl brings home her older boyfriend, her parents look at her as being rebellious.
There are tons of different double standards other than in relationships. The most common reason for that is insecurities. No one should suffer consequences so just suck it up. You should have a mutual relationship so neither one has to feel better than the other.There is no need for separate standards in any relationship whether it’s work or in society. Do you think so?
