Everyone talking about double standards raises awareness
about their existence and does nothing to actually fix
them. We hear about double standards when it comes to
“teacher’s pets,” the treatment of student-athletes, and
expectations for what is considered to be appropriate
professional attire for males and females.
So, at one point or another, we pick a side.
Maybe we believe that it is okay to judge females by
their physical appearances while evaluating males solely
on their personalities. Maybe we believe that it is OK
for a student-athlete facing criminal allegations to be
permitted to play the entire season without any
repercussions. Maybe we believe all of this. Most likely
we do not.
We understand the problem, yet still we permit and—
in some cases— encourage these double standards to keep
appearing in our society. There have been multiple events
this month alone that have featured some of the different
types of society’s double standards on both professional
and collegiate levels.
On Nov. 16, Karl Stefanovic, co-host of the Australian
Today show, sparked a worldwide discussion when he revealed,
“I’ve worn the same suit on air for a year… to make a point.
Women are judged much more harshly and keenly for what they
do, what they say and what they wear,” taking a creative
stand against society’s double standard for male and female
appearances. While Stefanovic wore the same exact suit for
each broadcast, entirely unknown to his audience, his female
co-host was constantly criticized for her attire.
Since the initial reveal of this disturbing truth, the
Internet has been inundated with responses. Amy Rorke, from
the Twitter handle @honeyandabee, tweeted at Stefanovic
applauding his protest: “Good job Karl. Sometimes the
loudest messages don’t need a speech.” I agree with Rorke,
they do not need a speech, but they do need a discussion.
The Australian Today Show, @TheTodayShow tweeted about
Stefanovic’s experiment as well, writing, “talking about
these things is how you change and challenge the culture.”
In a culture where double standards have sadly become the norm,
sparking this discussion is more important than ever—especially
when society’s standards can potentially lead to danger for
other members of society and our specific communities.
Another double standard revisited by the media this month was
that of student-athlete privilege. This past Saturday, one of the
biggest rivalries in college football, University of Miami and
Florida State University, faced off at the biggest game of the
season. However, unfortunately the conversations leading up to
the game were full of topics that strayed from the typical
weighing of the offensive and defensive line’s strengths and
weaknesses.
Florida State University’s superstar quarterback, Jameis Winston,
was facing alleged criminal charges two years ago, and still has not
had his student disciplinary hearing to discuss them with his
university. According to FSU’s literature for student rights
and responsibilities, any student who has allegedly violated
the Student Conduct Code must set up an appointment for a
disciplinary hearing within five days of receiving the alleged charge.
This policy is enforced in every case a student is allegedly
accused of committing a crime that breaks the Student Conduct Code.
Well, in every case except that of a superstar student-athlete,
so it seems.
In mid-October of this year, the Florida State University
fraternity Phi Kappa Alpha was temporarily barred from
affiliation with the university due to its alleged connection
to a rape case that occurred just over a month ago. The
entire organization has been restricted from participating
in any on or off campus events, holding chapter meetings,
serving on the FSU Interfraternity Council Executive Board,
participating in intermural or using university facilities,
all of which was stated in a letter from Rachel Bukanc, the
director of the FSU Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
In Winston’s case, the possibility of receiving such a letter
has been pushed back multiple times over the course of two years
as he still has yet to undergo an initial student disciplinary
hearing. The current date for the hearing was set last month
to be on Dec. 1, conveniently after the conference championship
game and allowing Winston to be eligible for the 2015 NFL draft.
While a fraternity facing the same alleged charges as the star
student-athlete is temporarily not even permitted on campus,
Winston has not been permitted to play in every game.
His hearing was most recently pushed back on Nov. 12, and
the decision received a lot of backlash on the Internet.
The New York Times Sports section, @NYTSports, tweeted the
objective statement “Jameis Winston’s statement is postponed”
with a link to an article breaking the news. This tweet, along
with many others just like it, received a multitude of
commentary criticizing the school such as “where is the NCAA
talking about Florida State losing “institutional control” over
this football program?” tweeted by John R. Ewing from the
handle @jackewingjr.
In less than 140 characters Ewing has unearthed the fact
that student-athlete privilege blatantly exists at the university.
In this concise statement, Ewing has sparked a discussion of his
own. The preferential and treatment of convenience shown toward
Winston, both a student and athlete at FSU, does not only lack
justice but also goes against the well-drawn out policy of the
school—showing that double standards on the college level are
just as prominent as in the professional world.
Stories such as these make one wonder where society
has continued to allow double standards to impede on the
just and safe society we strive to be. Of course it is a
shame that a woman’s style is occasionally off, but should
she be judged and criticized while her male co-host’s style
is completely ignored? It is similarly a shame that an iconic
and talented student-athlete has been charged with an alleged
crime, but it is even more shocking and shameful for this
student’s university and to continuously postpone and
dismiss this due to his success on the field.
It seems like now is the time more than ever to stop
judging people based on stereotypes and double standards.
It is time for society to get off the sidelines, transform
these discussions into actions, throw out the old standards
and create new ones. Now is the time to equalize the playing
field once and for all.
stay classy! xx