Double standards are everywhere and they’re out in the open—you don’t even need a magnifying glass to spot them. Whether in real life or in media, we’re constantly bombarded with examples of how men and women are treated and portrayed differently even though we’re talking about the same thing.
Reddit user Meet_Me_In_Heaven asked their fellow redditors to share the most egregious examples of double standards that "disgust" them, so have a look below, and let us know what you think they say about the state of society in the 21st century, dear Readers. Upvote the double standards that you agree have no place in the modern world and share your own examples in the comments.
One crucial real-life issue and pervasive gender double standard that we’ve been hearing and writing about is that the Covid-19 pandemic disproportionally affects women. Not only have women been shown to be more at risk of losing their jobs during the lockdowns, but they also spend more unpaid time at home doing chores and taking care of family members. Even in developed countries, there’s still an expectation that women ought to do the lion’s share of the housework.
#21
Dads are “superhuman” when they take care of baby, cook/clean/etc, or just parent in general. But women are “doing what comes naturally” when we work a full time job while pregnant, go back to work weeks after major trauma, are expected to breastfeed AND work, keep the house, raise good kids, and are somehow bad moms if we complain and feel overwhelmed.
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174points
#22
Women who either have sex, love sex, or have a great deal of it when they are single are considered loose. Meanwhile, if a guy has a lot of sex, then he’s just being a guy.
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168points
#23

Women are 'supposed' to clean the inside of the house while men do yard work. One day, my husband's friend called him while we were cleaning the house. His friend said, 'Uh oh. In trouble with the wifey?' No! He just lives here, too.
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165points
#24
If men play video games, it’s normal and expected. If men like sports, it’s normal and expected. If men enjoy something like skateboarding, it’s normal and expected.
But if a woman does any of those things, she’s only doing it to impress men and couldn’t possibly actually like them herself.
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157points
#25

As a man, I could go to the doctor and get a vasectomy tomorrow if I wanted to. A woman has to have like two or three kids and be married for most doctors to even consider performing a tubal ligation.
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156points
#26

I’m an 18-24 year old guy, and I work with kids.
It’s disgusting the amount of protocols and procedures there are to keep me from being alone with kids, but there are almost NONE for the female staff I work with.
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155points
#27
Even if I, the father, am listed as the primary contact on every single contact form for my kids, the school will still call my wife first. Even after being the only parent the teachers and school have ever seen during drop-offs and pickups, the school still insists on waiting to talk to my wife to 'discuss something about your child,' even though I'm right there.
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149points
#28
Dad works late, gunning for the big promotion: “What a great provider!”
Dad leaves early to pick up sick kids from daycare: “What a great dad! So wholesome.”
Mom stays late, guns for the big promotion: “How can she neglect her kids like that?”
Mom leaves early to pick up sick kids: “Figures, she was never really committed to the job.”
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142points
#29
Women get so much sh*t for being “too choosy” with men and “not giving them a chance” and in general get called uppity, picky snobs because they won’t go out with certain guys.
But when those same women are victims of date rape/violence/murder, they get blamed and people say that they should have been more careful
But when those same women are victims of date rape/violence/murder, they get blamed and people say that they should have been more careful
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139points
#30
I'm a trans guy, and people listen to me as male way more than they did as female
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135points
#31
Single mothers are seen as a red flag and are blamed for choosing a deadbeat as their child’s father. But single fathers are considered a great catch and are praised for 'stepping up.
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134points
#32
Female domestic violence victims get lots of support, while male victims get laughed at.
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130points
#33

Women rarely get complimented for the things men get complimented for: assertiveness, accomplishments, or basically any intentional act. While men rarely get complimented for the things that women get complimented for: their appearance or personality characteristics that make others feel good.
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118points
#34

Mens nips arent censored but for some reason women's nips are.
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118points
#35

When a woman cries, it's viewed as normal.
When a man cries, he's told to man up.
When a man cries, he's told to man up.
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116points
#36

Clothes from the women’s section fall apart after six months.
Meanwhile I have a 15-year-old shirt from the men’s section that I still wear.
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114points
#37
If a girl is 21 and a virgin she's considered pure. If a guy is 21 and a virgin he's a loser.
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106points
#38
Men who don't smile: Thinking, serious, determined.
Women who don't smile: B****y and uninteresting.
I've never heard of a man getting asked why they didn't smile for something.
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105points
#39
When a woman is direct to employees at work she is a b***h. When a man is direct to his employees he’s a leader.
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104points
#40
Men: I'm a 34in waist and size M shirt in EVERY. SINGLE. STORE.
Women: Sizes are called different things in each country, and the naming convention bears no relationship to the actual size (what is the 6 in size 6 supposed to signify?)
Women: Sizes are called different things in each country, and the naming convention bears no relationship to the actual size (what is the 6 in size 6 supposed to signify?)
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104points


