I don’t know a single word in the English language that positively describes a woman who has sex outside of a committed relationship. I also don’t know a single word negatively describing a man who does the same thing.
A man “has balls” when he does something brave, but what about women? Will “having ovaries” ever enter our vocabulary as something a woman tries to achieve?
Double standards based on gender are still ever-present in our culture — even at a time when equality is supposed to be highly valued.
Let’s take a look at just a few of the many examples out there.
Here at OU, a female professor can be accused of “acting like a bitch” when her authroity isn’t taken seriously.
A female student can be seen as “loose” for taking the pill.”
Magazines, television shows and advertisements instruct women about the right way to present ourselves. They tell us women must be thin, sexy, smart and attractive to the opposite sex.
But then we’re thrown a curveball.
Women are told to love our bodies, to be chaste, not to be too smart (it intimidates men) and not to be too attractive because we will risk losing our sense of innocence and fragile femininity.
So, which messages are we supposed to follow? It is impossible to follow all of them because they all conflict.
As one of my best friends so eloquantly said, “Now girls can do anything, so you better be good at everything, and you better look good while doing it.”
She’s right. Looking good is most certainly one of the main requirements for female success in today’s world.
The only intelligent thing I have ever heard from Rush Limbaugh is this: “Will this country want to actually watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?”
The idea of an aging woman still is not truly accepted. Laugh lines and salt and pepper hair on a man can be attractive, but wrinkles and gray hair on a woman are generally something women try their hardest to avoid.
And, speaking of age, how many women you know have dated older men? How many men you know have dated older women?
Men who date younger women are called hot. Women who date younger men are called cougars. As for me, I know I wouldn’t want to be called a large, carnivorous jungle animal.
I know things have changed drastically for the better over the last century and a half.
Yes, women did get the right to vote. Yes, there are more women in Congress than there have ever been before. Yes, I could run for president if I wanted to someday — though it has been apparent during the current election cycle that the concept of the “good ol’ boy” has yet to be done away with.
Despite improvements, we cannot say feminism has no place in our society anymore. We cannot claim there is equality between men and women when there just isn’t.
The double standards I have listed are detrimental to women, but I realize there are gender biases against men, too.
After all, I didn’t have to register for the draft when I turned 18, and I can’t recall ever having to pay for my own dinner while on a date.
But the double standards that women face are far more numerous and destructive.
Feminism and women’s issues are topics that must continue to be argued about and debated if we want to truly equalize the community, the country and the world we live in.
And this is no small task. Men and women must unite in an effort to set aside double standards in order to give everyone a more equal chance at prosperity and happiness.
If we continue to use double standards in our everyday lives, then our society is just as corrupt as any country we have tried to “fix,” past or present.
We must address gender issues. We have the opportunity to do so on this page.
Send me e-mails about topics you want to see discussed. Write comments online at oudaily.com. Send letters to the editor at dailyopinion@ou.edu.
Even argue against me if you disagree with what I say.
But do not think women’s issues are things of the past. Do not think they do not matter.
Fight for your equality and for your own opinion.
Grow some ovaries and dare to raise women up to the same level as their counterparts — to the level on which they should always have stood.
Rosie Sontheimer is a journalism sophomore. Her column appears every other Thursday.
The Oklahoma Daily is pleased to provide you the opportunity to share your thoughts about this article. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or straying from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of OUDaily.com. Thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Log in | Register
greengoddess 3 years, 9 months ago
Amen sister! Often I've heard that feminism is dead. It is not, and we should continue to voice our concerns to fix these problems.
hendou10 3 years, 9 months ago
"But the double standards that women face are far more numerous and destructive." What? Didn't you just say men had to register for the draft at 18, what's more destructive than giving your life. Fighting for equality is great, but sympathising for it... I recommend reading the book, Enough, by Juan Williams.
jll8119 3 years, 9 months ago
I think this is an outstanding article, but I think women will always be fighting for equality. There is none. Not even among women sometimes.