19 Gender Norms We Need To Keep Challenging If We Want Full Equality For Women

1. That being a “pussy” is to demonstrate weakness while acting like a “dick” equates to being an asshole.

2. That we should “sack up” or “grow some balls” instead of “grow a vagina” to toughen up.

3. That newlyweds should either hyphenate their last names, go with the man’s, or each keep their own when a woman’s surname is just as good an option.

4. That a woman wearing a sexy dress necessarily wants sex, or a man’s attention.

5. That a woman who favors revealing clothing is a “slut,” while a woman who dresses conservatively is more likely prudish.

6. That a powerful female public figure’s sartorial choices warrant headlines.

7. That young girls outfits are either “appropriate” or not while young boys skirt such dissection.

8. That a man caught crying or expressing emotions is anything other than a man.

9. That a stoic woman is anything other than a woman.

10. That mothers are suddenly okay being referred to as “mommy” by friends, acquaintances, and strangers rather than being addressed by their actual names.

11. That successful women who are mothers necessarily struggle to balance life at home and on the job, and/or constantly wrestle with their career decisions.

12. That a “working mom” is someone who pursues a career outside the house when in fact all moms work hard.

13. That women who excel in science and math are somehow oddities.

14. That women shouldn’t play football or any other sport they feel like playing.

15. That women’s sports are somehow lesser or less interesting to watch than the men’s version of the very same game.

16. That women are any less likely to cheat than men.

17. That the average woman is any less sexual than the average man.

18. That the sight of a topless woman is someone more disturbing or off-putting than the sight of a topless man.

19. That feminism is anything other than a movement about equality, and that “women’s issues” don’t impact men.