Relationships

Bros Vs BFFLs: The Idea Of The “Double Standard”

Since the beginning of time, women have cried out how there is a “double standard” when it comes to men and women sleeping around. While most promiscuous men are viewed as players or pimps, most loose women are viewed as sluts or whores.

A persons’ reputation is based off how he/she is perceived by the general public.  It’s not so much that a “double standard” exists as it is a difference between the way that men and women view their own gender and the actions of their friends.

In general, men support their fellow brethren’s sexual conquest, while women look down upon their sister’s promiscuity. In layman’s terms, guys respect man-whores, girls hate sluts. It all comes down to my theory: men support each other in victory, women support each other in crisis.

When a guy comes back from a weekend binge where he slept with three different girls, he gets a high five from his buddies during Sunday football. When a girl comes back from a weekend of putting out, where she slept with three different guys, she receives scowls during Sunday brunch. Where guys find a reason to celebrate, girls find a reason for an intervention.

When it comes to sleeping around, some girls may feel like other girls “putting out”, may put pressure on them to have to do the same. These outgoing girls have set the bar so high when it comes to sexual experimentation and willingness, that there is no place for the sweet prude. Guys on the other hand get excited when their friends get more action and typically make fun of them when they don’t. Many girls become jealous or petty about their friends getting more action than them, while guys usually support it.

This is very evident when it comes to the relationship between male roommates vs. female roommates. The average guy is much more willing to be inconvenienced so that his roommate can get some action, which is not the case at all for the average girl roommate.

If a girl locks her roommate outside because she’s with a guy, the girl will stand outside with her hand on her hip yelling “ugh, I can’t believe she’s been in there for 30 minutes!” A male roommate on the other hand, high fives anyone who walks by, chanting “Dude, I can’t believe he’s been in there for 30 minutes!”

On the flip-side, girls are a lot more supportive during times of crisis. When a guy comes home heartbroken, his buddies tell him to “grow a pair” and get ready to party. When a girl comes home with a broken heart, her friends stay in for the night and have a slumber party.

Where women find a reason to support and comfort, men find a reason to ridicule and ignore. Rarely will you ever find a group of guys willing to sit around in their PJ’s eating ice cream, talking about each other’s emotions on a Saturday night. Most men would rather discuss the physical details of their sexual experiences, while women would rather discuss the emotional details.

There are obviously men and women who this all doesn’t necessarily apply to, but for the most part, men seem to be there for each other during the good times, and women are there for each other during the bad times. Because women don’t tend to support their fellow ladies acting in a promiscuous fashion, the idea of this “double standard” still exists.

So, in conclusion, when you want to celebrate the unbelievable sex you just had, hit up one of your guy friends, and when you want to sob about the asshole who cheated on you and broke your heart, hit up one of your girls.

Tyler Gildin | Elite.