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If you want to understand the double standards that we live with so easily in our daily lives and in our society, looking at the words and terms used for men's and women's attributes is a good place to start.

Let's start with one example of our mythology. The Ramayana relates the episode of Surpanaka who falls in love with Lakhsmana, and to a lesser degree is attracted to Rama. There should be nothing wrong with that, for I believe both were supposed to be attractive young lads.

Had she been a man in love with two women, he would have been called a Romeo, or a Cassanova, both with hidden admiration of the guy's luck. Because she is a woman she is called a slut, and setting a precedent for men of later generations, has the hero Lakhsmana cut off her nose, a practice largely in use in parts of India and Pakistan today.

For the same act, he is admired and she is reviled.Unrealistic beauty standards are another prime example. We see size zero and white, whiter, whitest as the image for beauty.

In magazines, hoardings, films we see an impossible standard of beauty for women which puts into bondage our image of millions of women. Yes there are standards for men, but they are much less stringent. And men are asked to be bigger, stronger, occupy more space. Women are asked to shrink, become smaller and occupy even less space.

And do men publicly have to compare penis sizes? Not that I have noticed, and yet women's breasts, and ads to augment them, and visuals of them spilling over their dresses, are everywhere, even in the so-called serious newspapers.

Or look at parenting. A mother does everything all her life and that is expected, that is her role in life. A papa who does just a tiny amount like reading bed time stories, or attending a school event is considered a wonderful and caring father, even by the children who also assume that the mother is there for them anyway.

And take behaviour patterns. A woman is always mocked at for being obsessed with shopping. But a man glued to TV watching cricket, or the stock market, or tennis is considered cool. Is one obsession worse or better, more intelligent or stupider than the other? Says who?

Or look at the corporate field. A determined man, one with ambition, is considered prime managerial material. A woman with the same qualities is considered pushy, aggressive (note, not ambitious which is a positive term) and a ball breaker. To add insult to injury, starting at 80% of her male colleague's salary, within ten years and over the same trajectory she slides to only 69% of his salary (figures from the EU and the US).

If one talks of celebrities or politicians he gets discussed for his role, his work or his decisiveness on issues. She gets her clothes and hair discussed and worse, her love life and sexcapades.

How often did you hear a description of Vajpayee's dhoti? Or Advani's bad hair days? And how often have you heard of what Sonia or Mayawati were wearing, including how many diamonds? Do you know how many rings Mulayam wears? And as for the poor women stars, they are supposed to be virginal but look whorish, whatever that means.

And to end, I revert once more to the Ramayana. Is Dhristarashtra ever criticized for wanting his son to be king? Or any of the other kings for wanting their sons to follow in their paths? Why then should Kaikeyi not want her son to be king? Why is she for ever the 'bad" or 'wicked" woman for ambitions that are the same as all the kings in history?Oh, no! We don't have any double standards in OUR society.

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A society full of double standards; dice loaded against women

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A society full of double standards; dice loaded against women - If you want to understand the double standards that we live with so easily in our daily lives and in our society, looking at the words and terms used for men's and women's attributes is a good place to start.

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Is there a double standard in society concerning the ways in which men and women should handle their anger; more specifically violent behavior? If so, why? Is it because of the traditional stereotypes that still exist in main-stream society about how women and men ought and should behave? From an early age children are exposed to media, stories, and poems depicting what is expected of each sex. Nursery Rhymes such as "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" and "What Are Little Boys Made Of?" plant the early seeds of girls being sweet as "sugar and spice" and boys being up to no good with "snakes and snails and puppy dog tails." As these stereotypes become ingrained in us at an early age, the mere thought of a woman committing a violent act (especially against a man) seems preposterous and unladylike!

Unfortunately societal expectations and stereotypes play a large role in our impressions of how people should act... and violence is no different. When women commit violent acts they are not displaying "typical behavior" because girls are made of "all things that are nice." As a society it's time to break down the walls of stereotypes and stop setting double standards. It is past time that we realize that women can be violent and have anger issues too and often that anger can lead them to prison.

Sadly, more and more women who are in prison system come from abusive situations. Many women who are serving time have reported being physically, sexually and verbally abused in their life. As a result many turn to substances as a form of self- medication to cope with the psychological trauma they have experienced. The increase of women being placed in prisons may in part be attributed to growing poverty among young, unattached mothers and the ways in which society treats women. So, in essence, many of these women are lashing out violently against their past.

As for equality, we know from research that women typically get lesser charges for the same crimes that men commit. And when women finish their prison terms, they may find themselves right back in jail; for there is a high recidivism rate amongst women. Sadly, not only are we seeing an increase in violent activity in women, but violent acts committed by female juvenile offenders are on the rise as well.

So the question remains, why the increase in violent behavior? Perhaps it always been present, but more suppressed? Is there a societal double-standard held between how men and women should express their anger? I believe that women may express anger and aggression in different ways than men. I also believe that those who express anger more outwardly may not be seen as violent as males; in part due to stereotypes.

In the UK the domestic violence charity ManKind is working hard to explore the differences between the way men and women victims of domestic violence are treated with their #ViolenceIsViolence campaign. They released an eye opening video showing a couple in an argument and how bystanders responded to a male aggressor versus a female aggressor. And to bring it home to the US, what about singer Beyoncé Knowles' sister Solange, who attacked her brother-in-law, Jay Z? Would things have been reported differently if Jay Z had initiated the attack? I would venture to say "yes". Sadly, women's violence seems to be trivialized, excused, and may even be seen as humorous, but violence is no laughing matter.

Aggression is hostile behavior and it's not a way to work through conflict. Aggression feeds agitation, which turns into frustration and can eventually lead to anger. Anger, spewed out through aggression, is an unhealthy coping skill that can have detrimental effects on relationships and even one's physical health. So, it's time to take off the blinders and put the double standards aside. Women and men can both experience violent episodes and both should be accountable for their behavior.

There is no cookie cutter mold of how women and men should behave; if only life were that easy. The bottom line is a simple one... man or woman, or boy or girl, it doesn't matter... violence is not an answer to any problem. So, what are little girls made of? What are little boys made of? They are made of individuality/ personality, environmental influences, genetics, and are socially influenced by the society in which we live. Now, that's what little boys and girls are made of.

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Women and Violence: Society's Double Standard

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Is there a double standard in society concerning the ways in which men and women should handle their anger; more specifically violent behavior? If so, why? Is it because of the traditional stereotypes that still exist in main-stream society about how women and men ought and should behave?

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When it comes to gender, double standards are alive and well. Let's face it: despite all of the advances toward gender equality, many people still expect different things from men and women.

This is why studies about female breadwinners or advertisements featuring stay-at-home dads are newsworthy, why "boys will be boys" is actually still a phrase humans use, and why it's standard for men to catcall women on the street and not vice-versa. These inequalities arguably exist because it's common for people to judge mens' and women's behavior by different standards.

Redditor blackbirdholiday asked other Reddit users to identify some of the things women are generally judged more harshly for than men.The results made us realize just how much has to change.

Here are five things Reddit users believe society looks down on women for:

1. Having "too many" sexual partners. While no-one's "number" should matter, the sexual double standard is alive and well. Men who sleep around are "studs," but women who do the same are "sluts." What's more, a disturbing study found that women labelled "promiscuous" were rejected by their male and female peers, which is all kinds of messed up.

2. Having a messy home. Though an estimated 81 percent of men and 87 percent of women report feeling anxious about home upkeep, women still do the majority of the housework. Why? Because women are judged much more harshly than men for having a messy home. We like the attitude HuffPost blogger Claire McCarthy shared in her Feb. 25 post: " We have more important things to do. If there is some time left over after we talk, eat together, play together and finish this really great book, we'll clean. If not, well, it can wait."

3. Being overweight. Though both men and women experience fat prejudice, studies have found that overweight women feel more societal pressure to lose weight than overweight men.

4. Being blunt or assertive. A woman who speaks her mind too much is deemed bossy, aggressive or arrogant -- whereas a mouthy dude is simply showcasing his executive leadership skills.

5. Not having children. Childfree women are often referred to as "selfish" and told they will regret their decision not to have kids. Because what kind of unnatural woman would never want to be a mother? Men get no such flak -- being a dad isn't considered to be an essential part of manhood. Plus, men have way more time to decide if they want kids! ( But they still have biological clocks, too.)

What else do you think women are judged more harshly for? Leave a comment below, or Tweet @HuffPostWomen!

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5 Things Women Are Judged More Harshly For Than Men

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When it comes to gender, double standards are alive and well. Let's face it: despite all of the advances toward gender equality, many people still expect different things from men and women.

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Is life Harder for Men then Women Today?

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Debate.org is a dynamic social community where you can voice your opinion on today's hottest issues.

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Debate.org is a dynamic social community where you can voice your opinion on today's hottest issues.

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HIGH UP JOBS, SUCH AS JOBS IN THE GOVERNMENT ARE CONSIDERED MALE JOBS AND IT'S HARD FOR FEMALES TO GET RESPECT IN THOSE FIELDS.

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HIGH UP JOBS, SUCH AS JOBS IN THE GOVERNMENT ARE CONSIDERED MALE JOBS AND IT'S HARD FOR FEMALES TO GET RESPECT IN THOSE FIELDS.

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A LOT OF WOMEN ARE CONSIDER GOLD DIGGERS IF THEY WANT A MAN WHO IS FINANCIALLY STABLE. A MAN WANTING HIS WOMEN TO HAVE A STABLE INCOME IS NORMAL

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A LOT OF WOMEN ARE CONSIDER GOLD DIGGERS IF THEY WANT A MAN WHO IS FINANCIALLY STABLE. A MAN WANTING HIS WOMEN TO HAVE A STABLE INCOME IS NORMAL

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WHEN YOU THINK OF MALES IN A HOUSEHOLD, YOU THINK OF THEM BEING THE BREAD WINNER. FEMALES CAN ALSO BE BREAD WINNERS AND MAKE MORE  MONEY THAN MALES.

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WHEN YOU THINK OF MALES IN A HOUSEHOLD, YOU THINK OF THEM BEING THE BREAD WINNER. FEMALES CAN ALSO BE BREAD WINNERS AND MAKE MORE  MONEY THAN MALES.

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IF A FEMALE DOESN'T KEEP UP WITH THEIR APPEARANCE THEY ARE ALSO SHAMED. FOR BEING DIRTY AND CARELESS

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IF A FEMALE DOESN'T KEEP UP WITH THEIR APPEARANCE THEY ARE ALSO SHAMED. FOR BEING DIRTY AND CARELESS

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MEN DO NOT HAVE TO DO MUCH TO KEEP UP WITH THEIR APPEARANCE BUT FEMALES DO. 

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MEN DO NOT HAVE TO DO MUCH TO KEEP UP WITH THEIR APPEARANCE BUT FEMALES DO. 

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MALES CAN SLEEP WITH 5 OR 6 WOMEN AND THEY ARE CONSIDERED THE MAN! BUT IF A FEMALE DOES IT, SHE GETS SHAMED FOR NOT RESPECTING HERSELF!

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MALES CAN SLEEP WITH 5 OR 6 WOMEN AND THEY ARE CONSIDERED THE MAN! BUT IF A FEMALE DOES IT, SHE GETS SHAMED FOR NOT RESPECTING HERSELF!

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OUR SOCIETY IS WAY HARDER ON FEMALES.