The problem with that, as much as I really, truly, honestly appreciate your politeness, is that the general assumption is that for women to be accepted, they need to act more like men. That sticks the conditioned female behavior where it always has been-- negatively perceived.
I know this is direct at Ander, but I'll take a stab at it.
IMO the
real problem is there exists such a thing as stereotypical female behavior. To use an extremely stereotypical example: It's not that standing on a chair afraid of a rat is a bad thing; it's that standing on a chair afraid of a rat is considered a
woman thing (and yes I realize it only really happens in movies/etc, not real life, and not so much anymore). Why do/did we make that association ? Why is it acceptable for one gender but not the other? How do we get rid of such bullshit ideas?
Yeah yeah someone's gonna yell at me that there are behavioral traits that follow gender lines that can't be fully explained by cultural influence. My point is that shouldn't even be considered, since it doesn't matter. There's nothing wrong with an aggressive female (or one with other stereotypically "masculine" traits), just as there's nothing wrong with a timid female. As long as these behaviors are popularly associated with gender, there will always be stereotypes, and thus always double standards.
She's standing on a chair afraid of a rat. Pay it no heed as that's just what women do. That guy over there's doing it to; let's laugh at him because he's obviously not manly.
She's asking a guy out on a date rather than having him ask her. Let's look down on her for it. That guy's asking a girl out; what a hero.
Bullshit. All of it.