The Stud/Slut Double Standard:Where it came from, why it still exists, and why it’s time for change

The Continuation of the Double Standard

The Stud/Slut distinction has been ingrained in us since youth, male promiscuity is expected, acceptable, and in many ways encouraged, while women are shamed and treated as damaged goods for the same behavior.   Parents have been guilty of perpetuating these believes in an attempt to deter their girls from sexual behavior, even though their son’s sexual behaviors have the potential to be just as problematic or life altering, to his own or his partner’s life.  Girls are called sluts by their peers out of jealousy, hurt, and insecurity.  Few women make it to adulthood without experiencing the shame of or at least the fear of being labeled a slut.  Even so, it hasn’t proven to be an effective deterent to undesirable behavior, and promiscious sexual behavior is on the rise.

The Origination of the Double Standard

The sexual double standard arose as a way for men to insure they were the father of the children they were working to support.  It began when men and women transitioned from a nomadic existance to that of farmers who settled the land.   Women and men went from having similiar responsibility and status, to a situation where women stayed home with the children.  Without birth control or bottles, this made sense.  The unforturnate side effect was that women became dependant on men for food, resources, and protection.  Women had little opportunity to gain independance, power, or ownership of property, and had little ability to learn how the world worked, outside of their homes, or to have widespread influence.

The Double Standard Today

Today we have birth control, so women have fewer children, later in life.  Today half of the workforce is female and 40% of primary breadwinners of households are female.  We now have paternity testing, so men can assure they are the fathers of the children they parent.  Our lives and needs have changed.  The reasons for the double standard’s origination no longer exist, yet the double standard persists.  Overcoming such habits and mindsets takes both time and effort.  Despite our efforts, the double standard has not been an effective deterent to irresponsible sexual, promiscuity, teen pregnancy, or cheating.  The double standard does remain an effective way to damage girls’ self esteems, to keep females from being treated as respected individuals, equal to men, to provide an excuse for irresponsible and abusive male sexual behavior, and to shame women from expressing their sexual desires in a natural, healthy way.

Conclusion

It’s time put an end to the use of the slut/stud double standard.  Valid reasons for its continuation do not exist.  Would it be so bad to live in a world where the same standard of sexual behavior apply to both men and women, where men and women are held equally accountable for irresponsible sexual behavior?  What do you think?