Unfortunately, it’s become quite acceptable to use the term “double standards.” Double standards, of course, refer to the things socially acceptable for a certain type of person to do while the same things remain completely socially unacceptable for another type of person. Overwhelmingly, the term is used for all things related to gender. The phrase is used by an astounding number of people, partially joking and partially serious. But let’s get something straight here: Double standards are just a way of holding prejudices without actually saying out loud, “I’m sexist.”
Recently, hair-care company Pantene released a commercial in the Philippines about double standards against women, tackling the perception of them in the workplace and in daily life: how men are seen as assertive, neat and smooth while women are seen as bossy, vain and showoff-ish, basically asserting that men and women who do the same things are perceived differently based on their genders.
American culture has historically treated women as runners up to the male condition, too. Through the lens of ever-present sexism, women can never be seen as equals without first shaking off the plague of predetermined stereotypes, or double standards.
An example of such is present on the self-proclaimed “masculine” website Return of Kings, which published an incredibly sexist column titled “Girls With Short Hair are Damaged.”
It is, of course, written by a man, stomping and whining about how women with short hair look less attractive. The writer talks about the cutting of hair as if it is a scientific study filled with algorithms and bubbling beakers, proving short hair on a woman means she is emotionally damaged.
Aside from the fact that Return of Kings’ viewpoint on femininity is so politically incorrect it hurts, these men don’t see it as discriminating against a woman because she’s a woman — it’s just a “harmless” double standard. Men can cut their hair however they please, but women — don’t get me started on women. How dare they venture away from the average! Because appearances are the only things that really matter, and all women in the world should only cater to the aesthetic desires of heterosexual men. Ladies, cut your hair however you damn well please. The only opinion that matters is your own.
Cutting away from the hair theme, picture this. Once upon a time, a girl went to Midtown dressed provocatively. She got drunk, stumbled, slurred her words and made poor choices. She slept with someone and woke up the next day feeling completely ashamed. The guy she slept with felt successful for his sexual conquest.
The walk of shame ensued, and the girl went home in the same clothes she went out in the night before. People called her a slut while the guy got high fives from friends. Quiz: Who was branded as a tramp, and who was deemed “sexually experienced”?
As Americans, accepting these double standards is complicit sexism. Allowing these thought processes to be used in our culture is quickly defining us as a country and a people. So my advice is this: Stop saying “double standards” and laughing it off.
Sexism, in all forms, is unacceptable in our progressive culture. Nobody can judge others about their life decisions solely based on gender. A tad more decency and a bit of forethought will help stop to perpetuate this sexism conveniently packaged and labeled “double standards.”
[Rachel Kalisher is an anthropology and classics junior. Her columns appear on Tuesdays. A version of this column ran on page 7 on 1/28/2014 under the headline "Double standards are really just sexism"]
