New Year, New Decade, same story. The media loves a good double standard story. And frankly, so do I. So let’s review some double standards that eeked into our gossip at the end of 2009 and some that are starting this new decade off on the right tone. Cause let’s be honest, I am all for a good double standard.
First one that comes to mind is the Elin-Tiger Woods – spousal abuse one. Imagine how we all are DYING to know that she totally went after him with a golf club and smashed the shit out of his car. It’ll just make us all love her more. He totally deserves it and we understand her rage. But we’re supposed to then talk about how Tiger couldn’t go after Elin like this and he’d land in jail and we’d all be burning sticks outside his jail cell chanting for his death. And well, it seems fair to me. I am ok with that particular double standard and I hope she really scared the shit out of him that night in her rage.
But let’s use this same couple for another double standard example. I know I am not alone in wondering why Tiger got married. Oh right, he got married because it was a crucial part of his brilliantly crafted image as the perfect man. And the perfect man has a hot blond swedish wife, of course. And adorable kids. But see, he’s a man. So he could have also made a billion off being a playboy, like Derek Jeter. We all expect male athletes to be players, we know women are throwing themselves at them, they have millions, so I just look at really any male athlete and assume he has a bunch of STDs. But this doesn’t impact his endorsements or his professional success. But name me one female athlete or actress who could get away with such antics? We accept men whores. We do not accept whores. Double standard. Like it or not.
And the latest double standard today is the gossip of former fit Scottish celeb Gerard Butler surfacing as chub-tastic on his warm vacation versus how he looked while shooting the 300 movie. And does anyone care? Yet even the President made a comment about the buzz surrounding Jessica Simpson’s “weight gain” last year. I, for one, will admit that I am disturbed when I see chubby Luke Wilson in those cell phone commercials – I do wonder why he let himself go – but again – he’s working. Would a fat female celeb get hired as a spokesperson? I think they only do when it’s related to weight loss, think Queen Lateefah, Marie Osmond (is she a celeb), the chick from Cheers (too lazy to remember her name).
So there you have it, new year, new decade, same double standards.
Gosh, another rant about how life is terrible for women and grand for men. Walk a mile in my shoes, as the strong male figure trying to raise a strong little girl in a universe that LOVES victims and princesses. I’d like a rant about mothers who dress their daughters up as princesses from head to toe and take them out ALL DAY in their outfits. I think that modeled behavior has more impact on our children than what Tiger Woods does or even Luke Wilson, one of the greatest actors of our time.