Women's bodies have been subject to discussions and judgments by society for as long as cultures have been formed. The difference in attitude towards women’s and men's bodies is so prevalent that today's general public fails to recognize it as a severe problem.
When the Avengers Actor Chris Evans accidentally leaked his nude photo onto his social media platform last month, he started trending on Twitter. The tweets and comments were flushing with wholesome pictures and memes of Evans and puppies. The majority of the voices were comforting, explaining that Evans struggled with anxiety for years. They also wiped away any tweets that could further violate Evan's privacy.
This is, in fact, a respectful and festive way to support celebrities who experience such accidents. The topic's popularity will eventually fade, and people will remember the incident as a humorous and heartwarming one. Because of the kindness of the public's response, Evans will not face backlashes for this unfortunate accident.
The sad reality is, female celebrities do not receive the same tolerance and positivity from the public as male celebrities do when such incidents fall on their heads.
Just a few weeks after Evans' incident, Cardi B accidentally leaked a nude picture of her chest on her Instagram Story. It started circulating on the Internet, and judgments on her body proliferate across different social media. Men, who know nothing about women's bodies other than the perfectly portrayed hourglass models they saw on [censored] sites, were body-shaming and objectifying Cardi B.
Cardi B isn't the only victim of gender stereotypes and double standards. When a photo of Billie Eilish in a comfortable tank top and shorts went viral on the Internet, the public was fast to jump on the wagon to abash the 18 years old singer for not having their idealized body. Bella Thorne, Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande, and many more female celebrities' privacies were invaded by hackers. Yet, it is the victims, instead of the perpetrators, that the public reprimands and focus on.
The majority of the public's reaction hints at and prolongs the standard that women's bodies are for men's consumption and the toxic beauty ideals the society has set up for women. This toxicity of the public can influence young girls subconsciously, as they grow up to think they have to live up to society's unrealistic expectations to thrive and be respected.
Is it really that hard to show the same support as male victims have to female victims too?
The perpetuation of double standards only further pushes stigma against women's nudity. It is not that men should be dragged down when incidents like this happen, but women should be uplifted and respected as men are.
The double standards on men's and women's bodies imply that society automatically labels women who reveal their skin, willingly or forced, as intolerable and shameful, that once their body is exposed to the public, it is owned by the public. They have no control but to submit to the [censored]-shaming and verbal sexual harassment online.
It is vital to recognize the hypocrisy behind the treatments towards female and male celebrities as it shines a light on the broader theme of gender inequality in our culture.
