Saturday’s US Open Women’s Final was fraught with drama and controversy due to the conflict between Serena Williams and the chair Umpire along with the subsequent violations that Serena was handed.  Serena was visibly upset and emotional about all that was happening and some of the commentary afterward has been centred unfavourably on her reactions .  Tennis great Billie Jean King tweeted, ‘When a woman is emotional, she’s “hysterical” and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s “outspoken” & and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.’

Shades readers, the double standard that King talks about is unfortunately so common that many have come to accept them as fact and not the broad and misleading stereotypes that they are.  Let’s highlight some more examples:

-In work environments, men are seen as assertive if they are opinionated or aggressive.  Women are considered ‘bitchy’ if they possess those same traits. 

-Unmarried men are called bachelors, unmarried women are considered spinsters or old maids.

-Older women who like to date younger men are called cougars, older men who like to date younger women are called debonair or quite simply, mature. 

All of these examples show women in a more demeaning or derogatory light versus how men are portrayed with the same characteristics or behaviours.   

It is very frustrating to think that in this day and age, when women have proven time and time again that they can accomplish almost everything that men can, we still have people out there (both men and women) who have such archaic opinions and beliefs.

There is no doubt that men and women possess different attributes and characteristics based on many factors such as our genetic material – men are generally physically stronger than women as an example.  To use those differences to demean or stereotype is just plain wrong.  By perpetuating those beliefs, we are doomed to create generations who will always believe that boys are better in math and science or girls just want to play with dolls.  That is how early these beliefs start.  Just don’t do it! 

Shades readers, are there other gender stereotypes that just drive you crazy?  Share some of them in the comments section and please get the word out about us by sharing this blog!