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The First Stone

Picture of a hand clenching a stone about to be thrown
Image:Timeintheword.org


 

Not too long ago, a conversation on a podcast trended on social media. Women in entertainment were being dissected for having lifestyles beyond their incomes. A few female stars with commendable work ethic and multiple streams of ‘legit’ income were acknowledged for being on the straight and narrow. The guest male thespian on the podcast spoke about being irked seeing his female colleague rolling up on set in a whip that was way beyond his own reach. This was unsettling for him as they were supposed to be in a similar income bracket. The prognosis from the men on the show was that such ladies must be involved in seemingly inappropriate activities such as bedding wealthy men to fund their extravagant lifestyles.  

On this same podcast, females that were part of a popular reality TV show were accused of lacking substance and only coming on the show to advertise themselves to their potential monied benefactors. One of the hosts had earlier spilled the beans on a number of wayward female celebrities - albeit without mentioning names - whom he walked in on having a threesome with his rich friend. His friend, a ‘giver’ apparently can spend $15,000 to roll in the hay with a lady that he fancied. 

Now to start with, the argument that those living a ‘fake’ flashy lifestyle put unnecessary pressure on others doesn’t seem to hold water. The contention on the one hand seems to be that these fakers act like their lifestyle is strictly funded by their professional earnings but really isn’t; while on the other hand, it seems pretty obvious to many that it isn’t. So why not just focus on your own hustle and leave the actress that just bought a Range Rover be. It says more about your character when your fulfillment and contentment on the job is determined by the status of others.

It is also curious that women were called out for vices that clearly involve both men and women. Why aren’t any of the guys that offer ladies money for sex a part of the conversation? This ‘giving’ men, some of whom are married and still involved in transactional sex are somehow exalted in the equation while the ladies are vilified. Let us not even consider the absurdity of splurging $15,000 on such profligacy and all the more productive ways such money could otherwise be utilized. If one party is called out for being slutty, shouldn’t the other party be shown to be recklessly randy as well.

This is not to excuse any 'inappropriate' behavior on either side but rather to expose age long double standard tropes that spotlight women as the only offenders. Just as only the adulterous woman was brought before Jesus Christ in the popular bible gospel, it continues today that women get the short end of the stick that praises men for doing exactly the same or worse things women are disparaged for.

A podcast episode airing the dirty laundry of women in entertainment should equally have an episode reserved for men and their vile deeds. Balance should be sought in the conversation such that everyone can then be held accountable for their actions.

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