What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “double standards”? The expectations for men and women when it comes to the same or similar situations? Maybe it’s the dress code difference between the two? Or is it the “respect your elders” rule when respect is meant to be a two way street?

The difference in perception to a man’s actions versus a woman’s are expressed on a broad spectrum. Much of the high school population would say the most profound situation that we experience as of now is the fact that when people find out a girl was with with someone whom wasn’t her boyfriend, she’s considered promiscuous.. While a boy experiences more of a congratulations that he got “smashed.” Same deal, different outcomes.

Furthermore, between the sexes there’s different expectations in what’s worn in school, the work place, and even to church. Schools have been trying to enforce that girls are not allowed to wear “spaghetti strap” shirts for years, whereas male athletes can walk around in cut off muscle shirts as if that isn’t just as distracting if not more. Girls are held to a much higher expectation as far as conservativeness goes than men have ever been.

“I don’t really think a girl wearing a tank top in my 5th period would distract me from my learning,” junior Michael Simmon said.

The matter of what should and should not be done or allowed by both men and women are heavily talked about among different demographics.

Not only are there double standards between the sexes, but there are many students as well as young employees that feel as though claims such as “respect is a two way street” and “respect your elders,” clash.

Agreeing that your elders should be respected, 80 percent Rogers High School students also said that respect is a two way street, meaning that if an adult or someone of higher authority is being personally disrespectful for seemingly no reason, there’d be no initiative for them to want to be respectful in return.

However, the problem people face with double standards is that most of the cases dealing with the expectations are situations when you have to pick and choose which battles to fight. Is losing your job worth being disrespectful to authority because they chose to be rude one day? Is being in trouble for that tank top worth being disciplined and put on your school records, just to wear it?

Although unfortunate, a lot of the issues people experience with the double standards can’t be quickly or easily resolved. Thus, maybe consider the quote, “Patience is a virtue; with time comes greater things.”