Sexism from a different perspective

Stephanie Schoch

A mere 40-some years ago, published women writers were a rarity. Thankfully, the world grasped the fact that women had the ability to make advancements that men could not necessarily make, not because of any biological difference, but because they suddenly had the brilliant idea to finally give credit to the remaining 50 percent of the population. It is a beautiful thing that I, a woman, have the ability to write and be published in a newspaper, no less, in a column that is five hundred words of pure opinion.

Usually around the second-paragraph-mark I start to introduce my intended topic. I started with my lead and here’s about where I begin my train of thought, whichever direction that may go. However, my initial purpose of this article has been obliterated now that I have seen my thoughts on paper. My main aim was to talk about sexism and how it needs to change (c’mon people, it’s the 21st century), and I am still going to stick to those words and that topic: but rather, I want to direct my thoughts toward my own sex.

In the past, we, and by “we” I mean many of my fellow uterus-bearing-sisters, have blamed and reproached men because of jokes about being in the kitchen, making sandwiches and talking until our jaws fall off (on that note, all of these run-on sentences probably aren’t helping my own gender in that aspect…). But as equality draws nearer for both sexes, how is it that we, double x-chromosome wearin’ ladies, can continue to go on accusing men for something that (frankly) only douchebags believe? If a man truly believes a woman’s rightful place is in the kitchen, that’s fine: he’ll just live to be an old man with his true loves, Captain Morgan and 84 cats.

The true fact of the matter is that sexism is created on a tangled and messy foundation of double standards. A group of women are walking through the mall when they notice an attractive man, who inadvertently stirs comments about his physical appearance: acceptable. A group of men are walking through the mall when they notice an attractive woman, who inadvertently stirs comments about her physical appearance: unacceptable. A woman physically hurts a man because she feels abused: acceptable. A man physically hurts a woman because he feels abused: unacceptable.

Why is it that women can be sexist, but men cannot? Sure, we can joke about being trophy wives and baking, but it is only a laughing matter until a male friend pipes up. Men are most often expected to be manly, the fighting type, a provider, to have a strong upper lip, but think about how terribly some men might believe that they have failed because they fold under the imaginary pressure that society has put on them.

Now come back to the question why is it that women can be sexist, but men cannot? Is it because of a blend of society and history? Or because that is just the way the world works? There is no definite answer. We are only aware of only two things: 1) There exists some type of unfairness, and 2) we females are sly, evil creatures of the night, who prey on the stupid, the easily offended and a variety of other categories of people.

Oh, and we are a crazy breed with an indecipherable language. Trust me, I should know, I am one.

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