Get Ready To Get Pissed At These Double-Standards For Men And Women

Let's face it, as much as we've made progress in treating men and women equally, the reality is that we've still got a long way to go. From the way we communicate in relationships to the expectations we try to attain or avoid, it's clear that we need to be aware of the work that still needs to be done. Redditors took to their keyboards to let us know what double-standards they're most bothered by, and, yeah, I'm with them.

Women Just Have To Suffer In The Heat

couple sitting on the beach in bathing suits
Photo Credit: Toa Heftiba / Unsplash
Photo Credit: Toa Heftiba / Unsplash

"Women can't be topless in the heat like men." —bett7yboop / Reddit

Granted, some crop tops and bandeaux have really pushed the boundary on this one to allow for the least coverage while respecting the standard. However, who decided that men's nips are fine?

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Women Are Expected To Look Like They Have An Instagram Filter On IRL

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model posing in black dress
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Photo Credit: Pooja Chauldhary / Unsplash
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"Expecting women to keep up a constant and rigorous beauty routine while doing very little to maintain their own attractiveness.

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"That is a double-standard perpetuated not just by men but by society at large, however." —celestialism / Reddit

How come men get a seven in one shampoo, but women have the precoat, polish, and topcoat just to cover one nail?

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Women Being Considered A Liability For The Risk Of Getting Pregnant

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pregnant woman standing at the beach
Photo Credit: Xavier Mouton Photographie / Unsplash
Photo Credit: Xavier Mouton Photographie / Unsplash
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"Being overlooked for a role while between the 20 to 35 because I might become pregnant." —[deleted] / Reddit

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Excuse us for taking a few months away from the career that takes up our whole lifetime to create the life necessary to keep those careers going for the next generations...

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It's Only Okay For Men To Not Want Kids

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family poses in a field
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Photo Credit: Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash
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"It's okay for men to not want kids, but women are 'broken' or will 'change their mind' if they say the same." —[deleted] / Reddit

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It's 2021, but it's still not the norm for a woman to openly admit that she never wants to bring children into our chaotic world. Isn't the world overpopulated anyway?

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The Quality Of Men's Clothing Vs Women's

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Photo Credit: Freestocks / Unsplash
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"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." —[deleted] / Reddit

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It doesn't even make sense if they're supposedly being manufactured out of the same fabric in the same facilities. Until you remember that the fashion industry is predominantly targeted at women...

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Men Can't Cry

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Photo Credit: Nik Shuliahin / Unsplash
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"When a woman cries, it's viewed as normal. When a man cries, he's told to man up and stop." —[deleted] / Reddit

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We shouldn't be surprised that men often have a hard time communicating and talking about their feelings in relationships when they're often conditioned to shut down that part of themselves.

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The Representation Of Men And Women In Movies And Media

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Photo Credit: Jakob Owens / Unsplash
Photo Credit: Jakob Owens / Unsplash
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"When movies need an ugly guy, they hire an ugly actor. When they need an ugly girl, they hire a smoking hot actress and put glasses on her." —imaLilT-pot / Reddit

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Then we wonder why dad bods are a trend yet women still get advertised every diet pill under the sun.

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The Shallow Way Women Are Complimented

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Photo Credit: Allef Vincius / Unsplash
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"The compliments women get are about appearances." —PTSDaway / Reddit

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Women rarely get complimented for the things men get complimented for assertiveness, accomplishments, or basically any intentional act. They'll be viewed as domineering, tryhards, or overachieving. Women are capable of so much more than sitting down and looking pretty if they can only be taken as seriously as men.

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The Rep Of The Single Dad Vs Single Mom

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Photo Credit: Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash
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"A single mother is looked at as a red flag, trashy, and is blamed for choosing a deadbeat as her child's father. While single fathers are a great catch and praised for 'stepping up' automatically." —shaylaa30 / Reddit

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Women Are Somehow Too Picky And Not Picky Enough

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Photo Credit: Wendy Wei / Pexels
Photo Credit: Wendy Wei / Pexels
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"Women get blamed 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.

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"But when those same women pick the wrong guys, they're told that shouldn’t have been so stupid, naive, and over-trusting to just go out with any guy." —[deleted] / Reddit

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Only Dad Can Work Late For A Promotion

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Photo Credit: Avi Richards / Unsplash
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"If a dad works late, gunning for the big promotion 'What a great provider!' If dad leaves early to pick up sick kids from daycare: 'What a great dad! So wholesome.'"

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While at the same time, "If mom stays late, guns for the big promotion: 'How can she neglect her kids like that?' and if mom leaves early to pick up sick kids: 'Figures, she was never really committed to the job.'" —Unknown_Stonefruit / Reddit

There's just no winning.

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Men's Large Pockets Vs Women's Non-Existent Ones

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Photo Credit: Kajetan Sumila / Unsplash
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"Why do men get pockets big enough to hold all their stuff and women get fake pockets sewn shut or a micro-sized? Is it too much to ask that I don't have to carry around a satchel like a peasant?!" —surebegrandlike / Reddit

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Apparently, yes it is.

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Women Can't Have "Men's" Hobbies Without An Agenda

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Photo Credit: Jeshoots / Unsplash
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"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.

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"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." —seahawksgirl89 / Reddit

Often, it'll be considered a phase for those women before they go back to more "feminine" activities.

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Assigned Household Chores

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Photo Credit: The Creative Exchange / Unsplash
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"Who is 'supposed' to do what... Women clean the inside of the house and men do yard work even though we all live in the same house.

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"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." —amandadear / Reddit

It's like it's groundbreaking news to ask a man to wash a dish every once in a while.

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The Praise For A Single Dad

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man carrying two kids in a field
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Photo Credit: Juliane Liebermann / Unsplash
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"Dads are 'superhuman' when they take care of a baby, cook and clean, 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, and still keep the house." —amandadear / Reddit

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Plus, let's face it, maternity leave is never long enough.

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Basically Everything About Rom-Coms

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Photo Credit: Cotton Bro / Pexels
Photo Credit: Cotton Bro / Pexels
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Here's just one example: "Those romantic comedy plots around the cliché beautiful and smart woman married to the dumbest guy who is lucky to have her. Yet if you swap the roles, see people flip out." —[deleted] / Reddit

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We could write a whole article about the way rom-coms just don't translate to real life.

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The Way We Raise Brothers Vs Sisters

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siblings hug in a field
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Photo Credit: Patty Brito / Unsplash
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"Daughters are being raised and taught to clean and cook while brothers get cleaned up after." —ItsD_D / Reddit

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Have you noticed that older sisters to younger brothers are always amazing at multitasking? That's because many of them grew up doing school while simultaneously babysitting and helping raise their brother.

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A Dad's Role Vs Their Mother's

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Photo Credit: Emma Bauso / Pexels
Photo Credit: Emma Bauso / Pexels
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"I'm a dad of a 3-year-old and it drives me crazy when people tell me how 'great' it is that I’m 'babysitting' or 'watching' my son for my wife. He's my kid. I'm just as much a parent as my wife." —[deleted] / Reddit

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It's like the mothers are supposed to do the taking care part while dads just assist.

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Baking Is A Woman's Hobby

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woman making macarons
Photo Credit: Holly Stratton / Unsplash
Photo Credit: Holly Stratton / Unsplash
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"Baking is a woman's hobby, apparently, until it's a profession and then it's for men. Cue all the eye rolls." —ShovelingSunshine / Reddit

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The funny part is that, even then, a male baker probably still gets paid more than his female coworker.

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Commercials Targeted To Women

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Photo Credit: Averie Woodard / Unsplash
Photo Credit: Averie Woodard / Unsplash
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"Commercials are the worst. Anytime there is a cleaning product it acts like men are completely clueless. I do all the laundry, cook all the meals, and keep the house in somewhat order, yet these commercials tell everyone that I am incompetent compared to my wife." —beejester81 / Reddit

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Just because it's not common doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make it more common.