The Double Standard

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While examining the question of how my life would be different as the opposite gender, I reflected on the treatment of boys and girls at a young age. I began to question how it affects key elements of their personality and the importance of the expectations that others place in their lives. Often a female child is forced to conform to ideals of femininity and these pressures continue into their adult professional and personal lives. Furthermore, I will exemplify the manner in which, a woman achieving success in a predominately male field, earns accolades disproportionately to those of her male counterpart. There are many factors in whether my life would be different or the same and I will give examples through everyday situations.
In “Being a Man”, by Paul Theroux, the writer notes the way mothers encourage their young daughters to have a coquette attitude and look for approval of their appearance to please adults (45). Expanding on his observation, the boys are encouraged to show what they can do physically, by going outside getting dirty and exploring their surroundings without in...

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