This is the 21st century; women have been raised to know that misogynist comments and treatment are unacceptable and must be left in the past, yet it still persists.  Women cannot and will not let these old stereotypes come back. In my experience, I have noticed that boys feel the need to be overly masculine and reflect that in their treatment of girls. A study done by The Conversation, a non profit news organization, found that boys “build their sense of masculinity in direct relation to the dominant “macho” heterosexual ideal of what it means to be man.” R W Connell, a sociology researcher, talks about the idea that men have about dominance and how it is expressed through degrading comments and even violence towards women.

It has somehow become normalized for boys to make these comments about girls without even thinking of the consequences and how it makes the person feel.

“My friends and I receive hurtful comments about our bodies almost every day. Such as; your shoulders are too wide, you look like a man, you are flat, you are obese, and go back to the kitchen,” Lola Rhodes said. 

This is a global problem but it is hitting too close to home. Miami Country Day is such a forward thinking school, but backwards in our perceptions of women. David Bejar notes how “I hear my own friends talking about women in ways that I do not think are necessarily correct. They do not understand how what they say can negatively impact and hurt someone.” Lola Rhodes notes how “Men ridicule and objectify women amongst themselves, ripping someone entirely apart. It is unfair and unjust for someone else to say negative things about anyone’s body in general, which is why it shocks me to hear these things coming from boys at my school, including my own friends.”

The main question to ask is why. Why do boys make these comments, and what is the reasoning behind it? These comments are made out of one’s own insecurities, bringing someone else down just for the sake of trying to bring themselves up. Women are all beautiful and should never let someone else’s own insecurities reflect on how they feel. It is astounding that we are in the year 2022 and have not done more to stop this. Women are strong and powerful, have achieved and done so much, and should never let what someone else says about them influence their own worth. There are things and ways to address this, we are not powerless. 

My experience is not yours: As I try to understand, I am curious to know your opinion on whether we are going forwards or backwards and what we can do about it.