If there’s one basic right that comes with my existence as a person, it’s to secure my enfranchisement by refuting double standards and to voice my dissatisfaction when my rights are violated.
Just kidding! I’m a woman; I don’t experience the ~luxury~ that is resisting misogyny without being shut down and called a feminist witch.
Although the double standard for women’s’ physical expression has been a perennial issue, it’s presented itself as a more pressing concern in the past couple of years because of social media.
Recently, Australian journalist Clementine Ford sparked conversation about Facebook’s failure to acknowledge a degrading post, one that condones domestic violence. The post features a woman with blood pouring down her face. The caption is, “He told me to make him a sandwich…I should have listened.” Facebook’s community standards explicitly state that they “regularly take down photos that are deemed vulgar or sexually explicit.” Yet this post remained public, standing proud in its chauvinistic values.
After responding to a demeaning comment on the post in which she was called a “diseased whore,” with a milder expletive, Ford was placed on a 30-day ban by Facebook. However, both the person who initially commented, coincidentally a man, and this problematic post remained unscathed.
But wait… it gets even better. The meninists are rallying! Aspiring to show their heartfelt support, they congregate in the comments section. Together, they defend the post. The post that represents their cause in life, motivates them to persist in voicing their invasive, irrelevant opinions, and most importantly, unites them against a common enemy- the empowered woman.
Here are a few gems I handpicked from the meninist agenda featured on Facebook.
“She is a feminist and that makes her think she is right in everything she does, even if it applies to double standards she herself puts on other. Oh and by the way, she openly posting “KILL ALL MEN” is OK but when a man posts a picture of a battered woman, whole feminist world goes riot – and Ford is leading them.”
“Lol clementine ford is a professional victim. As I said. Sjws running this page now, nothing secular here just a bunch of feminist feeling victimized and society owes them something”
“So? Facebook isnt required to do anything it doesnt care to do. If you dont like something, dont participate. Its not our job to set facebooks standards, no more than it is to set your neighbors standards. It is your choice to participate or not though. as the old folk song goes “If they didnt like then away the girls would run, and if there werent plenty, then the pilfer would get none.” I think people tend to forget that they have the option to not use a thing, or to not pay it mind. If you dont like something, move on. If everyone left facebook, they would change or they would die. Make change with choice and action, not with false entitlement and crying like a little pansy.”
Let it sit.
It’s hard not to notice double standard at this point. Facebook and Instagram censor women exposing their nipples, coining it provocative, but men can pose shirtless and it’s considered sexy. Shirtless women? Absolutely unacceptable, a cultural abomination. Pictures of women who have physically wounded for not obeying men? It’s fine; you don’t have to look at it if you’re offended!
The biggest problem I have with this post is that it is trivializing one of the biggest oppressing factors for women all over the world. Making light of such a heavy topic affects every single one of them.
Am I not entitled to feel victimized when someone is explicitly targeting a minority group I belong to? Am I wrong to say that society does owe me something- equal rights? I wouldn’t be “crying like a little pansy” if I didn’t have a reason. Facebook is required to do things “it doesn’t care to do,” when it comes to peoples’ safety.
The age of technology has brought us many great things, but it also deepened the gender gap and culturally ingrained sexism. It’s unfortunate that girls have become accustomed to the double standard they experience today through social media and everyday life in general.
Commentaries are the expressed opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect that of The Fourcast staff, its adviser or any member of the Hockaday community.
– Neha Dronamraju – Staff Writer –
