Double standards in the U.S. is just the American way

By Vernon A. Williams, Gary Crusader

I’ve always believed that you should never say never. But it is my heartfelt commitment and intention never again to utter the phrase ‘double standards.’

At some point, we have to relinquish the notion that an idea, behavior, thought process or action is unusual after it becomes commonplace. Things that happen every day, or with startling consistency, can’t be called an anomaly – no matter how strange.

So when Americans treat one kind of people a certain way – in stark contrast with the treatment of another, that’s technically not a double standard. There was never a true societal expectation or STANDARD for equal treatment and accommodations to all.

In fact, the opposite has been the case throughout history – and not just with race. The disrespect of women in American society is so thoroughly woven in the culture that the nation is captivated by the prospect of a female president when some 80 nations today boast female heads of state.

The double standard reference implies that there ever was or is a uniform standard in our society that dictates men and women be treated the same – share the same ambitions, entitled to the same privileges and rights, respected and viewed as equals. The truth is that there is one standard for men – and another for women. Not one for all Americans that is violated when not applied according to that phantom philosophy.

Let’s tell the truth about this nation and its treatment of women.

This column was written before the election because the veracity of its claims have absolutely nothing to do with the outcome. Whether Hillary Clinton manages to overcome the onslaught of personal and professional attacks against her character in the waning hours of the bitter 2016 campaign or contentious, brutish inexperienced Donald Trump pulls off the greatest upset in election history, it won’t change this fact. Like cockroaches so hard to kill, hatred, discrimination, prejudice and oppression will persist.

President Obama laid it on the line in an interview on “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” this week. When asked what will her detractors use against her that will be reminiscent of the nonsensical “birther” movement against him. The president responded:

“I think the equivalent will be charges that she’s moody, she’s being emotional, there’s something about her. When men are ambitious, it’s just taken for granted. Well, of course, they should be ambitious. But when women are ambitious, the question becomes “Why?” That the-me will continue throughout her presidency, and it’s contributed to this notion that somehow she is hiding something.”

Here are a few of the insults of women from the man who fought her to the end:

  • Speaking to a lawyer who needed to take a break to pump breast milk for her 3-month-old daughter, Donald Trump remarked, “You’re disgusting.”
  • Of course he accused Fox interview Megyn Kelly of attacking him saying, “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”
  • Speaking about journalist Arianna Huffington, he called her “unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left for a man; he made a good decision.”
  • After New York Times columnist Gail Collins disputed Trump’s wealth claims, he wrote that she had “the face of a dog.”
  • Trump told a former contestant on his TV show “The Apprentice” that “it must be a pretty picture – you dropping to your knees.”
  • For women who expect men to help parent their children, Trump said, “There’s a lot of women out there that demand that the husband act like the wife, and you know, there’s a lot of husbands who listen.”
  • He advised that women who found themselves victimized by sexual harassment in the work place should simply find another job.
  • Trump said women who get abortions should receive “some form of punishment” and possible jail time.
  • He called outspoken Sen. Elizabeth Warren “goofy” and “a fraud” and insisted that her criticism of him played “the woman card.”
  • Trump called Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg “an incompetent judge” and charged that “her mind is shot.”
  • In the now infamous tape recording leaked to media, the Donald boast of just “walking up to women and kissing them” without permission and “grabbing their (private parts)” whenever he wants.
  • He “fat shamed” former Miss Universe Alicia Machado calling her “Miss Piggy” (because of her weight) and Ms. Housekeeping because of her heritage.
  • His barrage of insults he hurled against comedian and talk show regular Rosie O’Donnell calling her “crude, obnoxious, and dumb.”
  • He said Olympic skater Katarina Witt was “wonderful looking while on the ice but up close and person, should could only be described as attractive if you like a woman with a bad complexion who is built like a linebacker.”
  • About the contestants in his Miss USA pageant, he remarked, “If you’re looking for a rocket scientist, don’t tune in tonight; but if you’re looking for a really beautiful woman, you should watch.”
  • Trump described his own daughter Ivanka as “voluptuous” and suggested, “If she wasn’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.”
  • It is disgusting and shameful that the media, political establishment, general public, right wing, so-called evangelicals and millions of everyday American voters would enable the candidacy of a man who said these things and apparently do much more to confirm his being a total misogynist.

This sordid chapter in the nation’s political history is closed, only after affirming that the truth is, there is no double standard. Second class treatment for women in America even in 2016, is the accepted norm…the American way.

CIRCLE CITY CONNECTION by Vernon A. Williams is a series of essays on myriad topics that include social issues, human interest, entertainment and profiles of difference-makers who are forging change in a constantly evolving society. Williams is a 40-year veteran journalist based in Indianapolis, IN – commonly referred to as The Circle City. Send comments or questions to: [email protected].

Recent News

Scroll to Top