Is There A Double Standard Between Men and Women?

When it comes to gender, double standards are alive and well. Let’s face it: despite all of the advances toward gender equality, many people still expect different things from men and women. People still use the phrase "boy will be boys" or normalize the behavior of men catcalling women. These inequalities arguably exist because it’s common for people to judge mens’ and women’s behavior by different standards.

It isn't surprising that the media usually discusses this topic on women because it is more prevalent to see the double standard that affects women more than men. However let's not be one sided about this. Men also get the short end of the stick in certain situations. For example, there isn't much media exposure on sexual harassment or sexual asault on men. The most prominent double standard is men not being able to defend themselves from an abusive partners on the basis that their abuser is a woman. Double standard can have a significant influence on attitude and health behavior. Societal views of masculinity and feminity still exist; however, some double standards are being recognized and changed to improve how people view gender roles.