Battle of the sexes Battle of the sexes (August 06, 2004)

Teens debate merits of being male, being female

By Kelley Paulick and Aaron Shaw

The issue of gender difference and competition is a constant battle in our society. Most males argue that it is harder to be male while most females argue that it is harder to be female. But who really knows the truth?

We'll debate the issue and let you be the judge: Is it easier to be male or female?

Physical appearance

Most of us have a tendency to make judgments about new people based on their looks. And social stereotypes about attractiveness often come into play.

The majority of females wear makeup; some wear a lot while others wear little or none. Because most girls wear makeup, they are able to cover up "imperfections" or play up their "better" features. However, putting on makeup is harder than it looks. It requires hours of shopping and lots of money to buy makeup that is both fashionable and complimentary.

For males, covering up "imperfections" is more difficult, driving them to spend countless hours at the gym. Many men try to perfect their physique, usually to impress women.

The pressure on females to be thin is even greater than the pressure on men to be buff. The pressure to be thin and beautiful can lead to frequent dieting and, unfortunately, to eating disorders. According to the National Eating Disorder Screening Program, bulimia affects up to 15 percent of college-aged women.

Money

When you go on a date, who do you expect to pay for the dinner and the movie? The chivalrous answer is the male. Many girlfriends constantly complain about their boyfriends being broke, but do they every wonder why? In our society, boyfriends are expected or feel compelled to buy presents for every holiday and special occasion. Giving a girl flowers "just because" never hurts either.

On the other hand, males don't seem to expect to be showered with gifts.

While boys are expected to buy gifts and pay for dinners and movies, females are expected to be in fashion. That means buying the latest and greatest clothes, accessories, shoes and makeup. All of those things can really get expensive. According to Teenage Research Unlimited, teens now spend an average of $100 a week at the mall.

Favoritism

Many people think that females are able to talk their way out of almost any situation. For example, many young women say they've been able to get a grade changed, a traffic ticket dropped or even a free meal or drink.

While many adults see girls as cute and "grown up," they treat teenage boys as potential troublemakers. For example, the price of a teenage boy's car insurance is significantly higher than that of a teenage girl. While not all stereotypes of boys' behavior is accurate, it's true that guys have statistically been more likely to damage a car or get tickets.

Romance

Most males feel that they shoulder more of the expectations in relationships. Despite changes in dating patterns, most dates are not of the Sadie Hawkins variety where the female asks the male out.

Face it: most men are scared. They are scared of rejection, of not being liked and of commitment. In fact, so are women, but because they do less of the asking out, they usually take fewer risks.

Then when a guy is on a date, he's expected to be gentlemanly during special occasions like dances, and always pay. But it is often girls who plan the evening and make the dinner reservations.

And then there is the gauntlet of the parent critique. What girl goes to her boyfriend's house expecting to be met at the door with a baseball bat or a stern warning of how to treat the daughter?

Then again, females spend time and money and suffer headaches and heartaches worrying about the guys they like. They work hard to act like females they idolize in order to attract the attention of the current cute guy. And if guys worry about meeting the girlfriend's parents, think of how the girl must feel, having to justify her boyfriend to her worried parents.

Tough to compare

Which gender is it actually harder to be? The expectations for each are so different that it is hard to compare them and come out with one true decision. So maybe they are not so different as they seem.

Of course we look different physically, but we all have the same goals: to be noticed and thought about in a positive way. Teens are just trying to become comfortable with who they are, what they represent, and how they affect other teens.

Kelley Paulick and Aaron Shaw are juniors at Mountain View High School.

References:

National Eating Disorder Screening Program www.inc.com

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