Comments on: Double Standards

By: Scarlett

Scarlett — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:46:48 +0000

@ Madie: I’ve never shagged a random either. Please may my present be the chance to relive my teenage years but fill them with the kind of horrific hedonism that the Daily Mail thinks we get up to?

On a more serious note, yes, it’s utterly infuriating, women are still objectified, underpaid and often not hired on the assumption that they’ll go off and breed in five mins time. I suppose the important thing to remember is that we have had progress and hopefully progress will continue. Maybe by the time our children’s children (ok, not your children ‘cos that’s why you had that stick in your arm) are of working age, things will be different.

I’m with Graham on Mad Men though… best show ever.

By: Indy

Indy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:39:33 +0000

Excellent rant! I’ve always said that if women stopped being sexist, the men wouldn’t be able to get away with it either. After all, we outnumber them.

Sadly, studies show that both sexes undervalue women’s contributions in the workplace, etc., to exactly the same degree. Apparently, we women are better at correcting for it when it’s pointed out to us.

By: Graham

Graham — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:02:14 +0000

Blatant sexism is but one of many infuriating things about the Amanda Knox trial and coverage… And I’ll restrain myself from going into it here as this isn’t really the place for that. (But prosecutors acting out “what could have happened” in front of a jury while playing autopsy footage? Hey, then maybe later we can throw her in the river and see if she floats. Sorry. Stopping now.)

When sexism in media gets you down, I recommend “Mad Men” therapy. Awesome show, awesome clothes, and the sexism it portrays is so outrageous it gives one a sense of progress. Perhaps a false sense… But a sense nonetheless!

By: Destructicon

Destructicon — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:36:04 +0000

I’m working in the middle east somewhere – due to the nature of my blog I won’t say where – but I would like to tell you about a radio advert that I find horrendous. The summary of the scrip is:

{Announcer} How do you become a millionaire?

{Man} Stocks, Job on wall street, Smart Investing…

{Woman} A rich husband (insipid giggle) A wealthy uncle…

end script with inane drivel about how to enter the draw…

Oddly enough, its an expatriate station (virgin radio) thats playing it…

Makes me want to vomit!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:45:18 +0000

When I was at university I pulled a guy who will forever be known as ‘Superman’ as he was wearing a superman t-shirt. He was a rugby player and visiting his brother and kept calling me for week wanting to meet up – and even left his expensive watch as an excuse to see me. I left it with the porters for him to collect. I’m sure he had a real name, he was bloody good in bed but I prefer to remember him just as ‘Superman’…sigh

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:56:34 +0000

Jessica, I admire your spirit, and abhor the double standard.
But really The Daily Mail!!
It is not entirely the reporters or writers fault as they need to please the editor and the editor the publisher.
But then again I gave up on the MSM a long time ago, it’s 95% lies and the rest is biased.
I agree murder is murder, whatever sex commits it, but then bad women are always worse then men, from Lilith through Delila to Lucrezia Borgia to whoever is the current Wicked Woman.
Until advertisers, polititians and publishers get it through their thick skulls that men and women are equal though different, this situation will not change.
Like Maidie I’ve never shagged a random either.
Warm hugs,
Paul.

By: maidie

maidie — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:05:38 +0000

I’ve never shagged a random.

For my present – I demand a rerun of my formative years where this time round I get to have sex with anyone, random or not.

By: Abel

Abel — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:41:49 +0000

Hear, hear!

Along similar lines, there was a ridiculous little article by Libby Purves in The Times the other day, condemning anyone whose sex life is not restricted to one partner. (She didn’t quite insist that the woman wore a nightdress at all times, and that the sex was in the missionary position, but you could see where her argument would lead). It does so annoy me to see journalists seeking to impose their own lifestyle on others who may be safe, responsible and happy adopting very different approaches.

BTW I think BA are being even ruder with their ad. See, mummy is a woman of ill morals, and has no idea who the father is. She has sent her child to Heathrow in the hope that the girl will spot her daddy from amongst the thousands of men coming through the airport this Christmas…

By: Eliane

Eliane — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:41:18 +0000

Cue big indrawn breath… “SATANIC OORRGGGIIEES”????? Squeal and faint.
Random strange quote aside, you are totally right. There is still the expectation that women have to, for some reason, follow the “example” of The Virgin Mary in every way: well behaved, compliant, standing by their husbands, and, oh, if you could have children without ever actually having sex or being seen to be someone with a sexuality that would be great.
This doesn’t always apply in day to day life, but certainly in the media women are often still held to some sort of ridiculous standard of morality and goodness that men are never held to. And it’s wrong. Why is a woman killing fundamentally more evil than a man doing so? It’s not, iboth are crimes of equal horror, but women are expected to be the “fairer, gentler” sex, even now.
Anyway, incoherent morning rant over.