A man and his son are in a terrible accident and are rushed to the hospital in critical care. The doctor looks at the boy and exclaims “I can’t operate on this boy, he’s my son!” How could this be?

If you’ve heard this riddle before, you’d know that the doctor couldn’t operate because the doctor is the son’s mother, but for some people, they’re unable to find the answer because, in their minds, the doctor is automatically considered to be a man. 

Why is this?

There has always been a preconceived notion that the man would hold the higher position, like being a doctor versus a nurse, because they are “superior” to women. The basis for this belief is deeply rooted in the former domesticity of females: staying home to take care of the kids, being the one to cook and clean and letting the husband be the main breadwinner. 

These tasks, while vitally important to the success of a household and sustainability of a family, are never seen as such. They are seen as menial tasks that are less significant than the responsibilities of the husband, and therefore indispensable. 

However, when men take over these household responsibilities, it is glorified. For example, when mothers stay home and take care of their kids, it’s natural, but when fathers do the same, people are oftentimes surprised and consider it “babysitting”, which insinuates that it is work for the husband, rather than just a responsibility that accompanies having a child. 

The biggest side effect of these preconceptions is that men are regarded with a higher level of respect than most women. This elevated respect is displayed in many ways that most people don’t even notice. 

For example, a man will walk through an opened door untouched, while a woman might get a slight hand on the back from a man to guide them through the door, whether wanted or not. This isn’t extremely common anymore, but I’ve personally experienced it in my life. This unwarranted touch shows the lack of respect some men have for women, and their bodies in particular. 

In past generations, it’s been commonplace behavior for men to use small physical actions towards a woman, whether intended sexually or creepily or not, without proper approval beforehand. Obviously, this standard changes based on the nature of the relationship between the man and woman in the situation. 

However, when this contact happens between two strangers, it shows the lack of respect the man has for the woman and her body. A man would never touch a man they’ve never met before; it’s seen as inconsiderate and just plain weird, but for some reason it’s okay for a man to touch a woman they’ve never met before. 

Men’s belief that they are entitled to a woman’s body without consideration of her feelings stems from the objectification of women throughout history. Women have always been seen as things to belong to men; their worth came from their ability to find a husband, have kids and maintain the household rather than their intellect or talents. 

Society has pressured women into the belief that men will always be superior; that they should let men do what they want because they have the power. In recent generations, that norm has been challenged, and rightfully so. 

That entitlement to power has led men to continue to control women. One of the prevalent battles in society today is women’s fight to have a voice in legislation that impacts them directly. Even though men have no experience living life as a woman, they still feel as though they should be the ones making decisions for them. 

The way our society forces expectations on women isn’t something that can be changed in a day, and it can’t be an individual decision. We all, as a society, must be in agreement about the way that women should be treated. Everyone must be held accountable, and held to the same standard. 

The inequality between men and women isn’t just a difference in the opportunities available to them, it’s a deeply rooted divide between men and women and what they stand for, what they represent. Society has always put men in positions of power where they could be the authority and control those who were inferior. Women were more likely to be given responsibilities more centered around caretaking and looking after those around them.

Of course, there have always been exceptions to these norms: Women are queens, ruling over their nations with the respect of their subjects; men can be stay-at-home dads who spend all day with their children while their wife is out working. 

As concrete as these expectations seem to be, there is always the ability for change to happen. Once there is unity in the belief that men and women are equal and should be treated as such, with the same level of respect and importance afforded to each, we can be equal. 

As much as society bashes on men for not being held accountable for their actions, women can be just as responsible for aiding this cycle of inequality. Some women will treat a man with more respect than they would another woman, perhaps showing a higher level of professionalism in the workplace, furthering the idea that men are more deserving of respect than women. 

Men and women alike must come to an agreement on how to treat each other. Men are already living in a world that treats them with respect and authority, so now we must find a way to treat women the same. 

Women deserve the same opportunities, the same voice, and the same respect that is granted to men, and our society has to come together to make that happen.