Gender Discrimination: Are We Equal?

Through the Female Lens: Prerna Kanji

There are numerous ways in which women are discriminated against in society, which men will never be able to understand. For as long as history has existed (it appears) that in most cultures, women are not considered equal to men. They are expected to dress conservatively, speak and act in a certain way, as well as simply live life under totally different circumstances and expectations than men do. Whenever issues of sexual harassment or rape occur, the issue that the women “was asking for it” because of the clothes (or lack of clothes) she was wearing.

This issue doesn’t only occur in this situation but is instead ingrained in little girls’ minds from childhood. From dress codes in school, that seem to only apply to girls. For example, from the AISG Student Handbook from 2016, “Crop-tops that expose midriffs, halter-tops, or tank tops with spaghetti straps should not be worn.” “Crop tops,” “Halter Tops,” and “Tank tops with spaghetti straps,” are all examples of clothes that (usually, if not always) are only worn by girls. The dress code has been adapted for the 2017-2018 school year and doesn’t include this section anymore. However, the point is that there are, and have always been, certain restrictions for the type of clothes that girls can wear, but seemingly not for boys. School dress code is just the beginning of the problem; women are constantly criticized for their clothing choices, whether it is too conservative or too revealing – there is no perfect. The reason that women are often blamed saying that their revealing clothing is why they were sexually assaulted is due to the undoubted existence of rape culture. Some examples of rape culture include blaming the victim (“She asked for it!”), trivializing sexual assault (“Boys will be boys!”), assuming only promiscuous women get raped, refusing to take rape accusations seriously, and teaching women to avoid getting raped. Obviously, the sheer idea that women can be blamed or taught how not to get raped is preposterous.

In the end, consent is consent. There is no level of intoxication, no piece of clothing, no flirtatious statement that could possibly validate rape. However, on a related note, it is also important for women to be somewhat sympathetic to men and help men to improve themselves rather than just accusing them. This issue, unfortunately, is at its apogee in the current moment and there are numerous more cases being revealed every day. From celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and America Ferrera to athletes like the swimmer Diana Nyad, and of course typical women that you see. It seems that the majority of women (as well as I’m sure some men – though most likely significantly less) have experienced some form of sexual harassment, and sometimes perhaps even when the man didn’t know he was sexually harassing a woman. This spate of accusations must also lead to progress in society. The new definition, or perhaps the latent definition, of sexual harassment which has surfaced, is much more specific and “strict” than what was considered harassment even just 10 years ago. In that day and age, a woman being too drunk to give consent and having sex but deciding the next day she should not have – might not have been considered rape, but now, it is undeniably called rape and the man accused will most likely face a trial, conviction, and punishment.

Nowadays, sexual harassment is broadly considered to be ANY kind of sexual behavior that is unwanted or makes one feel uncomfortable. This can range from “harmless” jokes about a woman’s attitude to be due to the fact that it may be her “time of the month,” to “cat-calling,” inappropriate sexual teasing or worse. Nevertheless, the increased social awareness on this issue does not only cause negative consequences. Men and women alike need to learn how to adapt themselves to an ever-changing world. Men should become more aware of their actions, and be more cautious with their behavior around women, and women should never make false accusations towards men. Overall, the importance and severity of this issue is undeniable, but it is also most likely that I am more than just a little biased towards women, and therefore the male perspective on the current situation is also relevant.

A Male Perspective: Gabriel Kim

[The writer of this article would like to acknowledge and reaffirm that women suffer much more sexual discrimination than men across the world. However, to write this article from multiple angles, respectively by Prerna and Gabriel, two responses are given to this sensitive topic. The author does not wish to offend any female or male by stating that men are also sexually discriminated or sexually disadvantaged in society. He acknowledges that the discrimination women receive is incommensurate with men’s, but wished to recognize that men also receive gender discrimination.]

If a man sexually harasses a woman, his actions are deemed unacceptable and unforgivable. The woman may tell others about the unjust treatment she receives, and she would, and should, be encouraged by others and society to report it. If the woman takes the case to the court, the perpetrator of the crime could be severely punished or maybe even imprisoned. However, what if the situation is reversed—as in a woman sexually harasses a man? Although the only thing changed in the new situation is the role of the victim and the perpetrator, the results may be completely different. If a man decides to tell others about his experience, people would laugh or scoff at him, telling him that it is not a serious problem. His friends might even tease him, remarking that he is “lucky” and “having fun”.

In court cases related to sexual abuse and harassment, men certainly suffer more disadvantages than women. If a woman sues a man for being sexually abused or raped, the punishment on the man will be very severe—to the extent where the man’s future could come to an end.  Back in 2002 in California, U.S.A, Brian Banks, a high school football star, was accused of raping a woman and was charged as an adult in court. The truth behind whether he actually raped a woman was not uncovered during the trial, but he was still sentenced to six years in prison. After five years behind bars and five more on strict custody parole, the woman who accused him of rape confessed in 2012 that he hadn’t actually committed the crime. Due to the false accusation and unfair judgement, he lost five years of his freedom–and most importantly, he lost his chance to attend USC to play football and also forfeited his chance of pursuing a career in NFL. Meanwhile, the woman who accused Banks of rape was ordered to pay $2.6 million fine to compensate for her false claim. $2.6 million may not be a low price; yet, is her punishment tantamount to losing years of freedom and most importantly, a dream career? Many people say that she should have received the same punishment which Banks had—imprisonment for a minimum of 5 years. Such prejudice against men could potentially squander an innocent person’s opportunity to become successful and great in the future.

An estimated 9 out of 10 rape victims are women while the remaining 1 out of 10 are men. Men who sexually abuse women and give imbecile excuses such as, “She was purposely exposing her body for me” should definitely be punished and imprisoned. Women face numerous disadvantages in society for their gender: less payment at work despite equal hours of working as their male counterparts, fewer opportunities for jobs, and society’s expectation for them to be submissive. Yet, people should also acknowledge that men can suffer from unwanted gender discrimination and stereotypes as well.

Currently, attitudes about gender are changing: more women are speaking up about sexual assault and there is more awareness about ways women are discriminated against. Powerful men who have traditionally relied on their societal privilege to allow them to treat women unfairly have begun to face consequences. Men need to adjust to the new world. It should go without saying that men need to conduct their public behavior more strictly to respect women. And when in doubt about grey areas and what constitutes acceptable behavior, they should be as cautious as possible to protect themselves from the newly heightened scrutiny as well.

For more information, please visit rainn.org, nbclosangeles.com, and complex.com