10 Crappy Double Standards That Men Perpetuate & Women Can’t Stand

10 Crappy Double Standards That Men Perpetuate & Women Can’t Stand ©iStock/PeopleImages

Everyone knows by now that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. We’ve taken great strides in our society recently to level the playing field and all meet in the middle, on Earth, but there are some men in the world who still don’t want to recognize the genders as equal. Among the most infuriating examples of misogynistic behavior are the plethora of double standards still perpetuated by many men out there.

  1. It’s their right to have female friends, but we shouldn’t have male friends because it makes them feel threatened. When we’re dating someone exclusively, it means we’ve chosen them as our only romantic partner, but it doesn’t mean he has to be the only man in our lives. Just as it’s okay for a guy to have female friends, it’s also okay for us to have guy friends. A relationship is meant to be built on trust, and trust is both a two-way street and an absolute necessity. Without it, the relationship in question doesn’t stand a chance.
  2. If they have casual sex, they get high fives; we just get slut-shamed. It’s no secret that we live in a hook-up culture. While that lifestyle doesn’t mesh with everyone and that’s okay, it’s not okay to slut shame a woman after high-fiving your buddy for exactly the same behavior. As a matter of fact, it’s not okay to slut-shame anyone. Just keep your judgments to yourself like a decent human being.
  3. If they’re picky about who they date, it’s a pride point; if we’re picky, we’re “being unrealistic.” A totally unimpressive-looking dude of below-average intelligence can refuse to seriously date anyone who doesn’t look like a model and he’s somehow considered legitimate. Yet, if we’re rightfully picky and insist that our future partner have reasonable qualifications, such as an actual career and life goals, we’re being unrealistic? That’s ridiculous.
  4. When they devote long hours to their careers, they’re office rock stars; when we do, we’re “workaholics.” There is a such thing as working too much, but it’s a fine line to draw in today’s economy as it gets harder and harder to make ends meet. Both men and women should appreciate and support each other’s hustle, and being a busy professional shouldn’t put love out of the question for either.
  5. When they blow their paycheck on video games, it’s all in good fun; if we spend ours shopping with the girls, it’s frivolous. Fun money is aptly named, and no one should be judged on how they spend it because it’s up to each person to decide what they think is fun.
  6. When guys are strongly opinionated, they’re being manly; when we are, we’re bitches. Some aspects of life, such as business and politics, innately cause us to have strong reactions. When guys react honestly and tell it how it is, they’re respected. When we have the exact same kind of strong, honest reaction, we’re seen as bitches. From the perspective of a strong, honest opinionated woman, that double standard is BS.
  7. When they spend all day Saturday in pj’s, it’s just fine; if we don’t put on nice clothes and makeup, we’re “lazy” and we’ve “let ourselves go.” Guys, really? We work just as hard as you do, so we’re only going to put in the effort to make ourselves look nice if we’re actually going somewhere. Hustler ladies need to relax and drink in their pajamas sometimes too.
  8. Their mantra is “bros before hoes” but we’re sometimes expected to prioritize a guy over our friends. We get friendship, and our friends are extremely important to us as well. That’s why we come running when a friend needs a hug or a listening ear. We won’t always prioritize them over our guy, but a friend in need is a friend indeed and we’ll be there when we’re needed because that’s what good friends do.
  9. They’re encouraged to be competitive in all things, but a competitive woman is deemed “crazy.” Crazy is just a word men use when they’re intimidated and legitimately worried that a woman could beat them at their own game. Guys, please stop with this nonsense. You had your chance to rule the world unopposed, and now you have to share it. Part of that sharing is actually having to step up your game rather than winning just because you have a penis. Sorry (not sorry).
  10. When they party hard, it’s awesome; when we do, it’s “sloppy.” Partying is fun, and every hustler needs to kick back sometimes. When guys get a little too drunk at a party, it’s a big joke. When women get beyond buzzed, we’re often labeled sloppy and unappealing or (worse) easy targets for a one-night-stand. Guys, fun should be universal and, quite frankly, if you have to resort to semi-unconscious chicks in order to get laid, you have bigger problems than I can help you with.
Anna Martin Yonk is a freelance writer and blogger in sunny North Carolina. She loves hanging out with her goofy husband and two rescue dogs and can be found at the beach with a drink in hand whenever possible. You can find her on Instagram @mrsyonkdogmom or on her Facebook page.
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