by Breanna Carver

There’s this saying I like: “What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander.” It may be a cliché, but it’s true.

The fact that people hold men and women to different standards of conduct in this day and age is appalling.  This is 2013, and people still expect women to act as though they don’t have certain desires or goals. It’s okay for a man to climb up the social/ executive ladder, but if a woman does, people say, “Well, we know how you got where you are,” insinuating that they didn’t work just as hard as a man to get to their position.

The same goes for when a man is in a political position or in any position of power, which, let’s be honest, it happens more often than not that we see men in office. Women only hold about 17% of seats in Congress men are generally respected more and thought more highly of According to WCF Foundation. When a woman is put into the same position she’s a given name like Bulldog (think Sarah Palin) or Wicked Witch of the West Wing (think Hillary Clinton). People don’t think highly of Michelle Obama because she’s too “controlling” and “opinionated”.

When a man gives his opinion and ideas, it’s called innovation, when a woman gives hers, she’s told that it’s not her place. Then, when they complain about this treatment, they’re “overreacting”.  Here’s an example a little bit closer to home. A female administrator may have the same demeanor as her male counterpart: strict, rule enforcing, and tough. But, she is thought of as a witch with a capital B. Don’t you think that if she were a man she would be respected more?

A double standard is defined as the application of different sets of principles for similar situations, or by two different people in the same situation.

Men are often congratulated, praised, and held at a high esteem for engaging in sexual conduct, whereas their female counter part is stigmatized and shamed. News flash, it’s in their nature too. Men aren’t the only ones who want sex and compassion.  Today’s society, unfortunately, is one in which women are expected to over-sexualize themselves, but when they finally do they’re called “trashy”.  Think of Miley Cyrus, she finally grew up and quit being Hannah Montana and there was a huge uprising. It wasn’t okay that she twerked until it was for Robin Thicke. Then, everyone thought it was great.