by Maggie Miller

Created on: June 27, 2008

On the first day of class, my Politics of Sexuality professor declared: "I am a radical feminist and a lesbian." She swore she would "lift the veil" from our eyes that year and show us that society had a penchant for men whereas women fell off to the wayside. A self-proclaimed "non-feminist", I was skeptical of her approach at first, but I find that, upon simple observation of American culture, women are frequently subjected to an archaic and unjust double standard, which is exemplified through acts of sexuality and dating.

When a man is sexually experienced, his status rises on the proverbial societal ladder. His worth among male companions escalates and his confidence gets a little boost. In the male sector of American culture, a man is considered experienced and valued if he's "gotten around". Men, how many of you have felt pressure to conform and sleep around? How many of you have lied about being virgins simply to receive approval from your circle of friends? Sex is considered a rite of passage for many Americans, specifically the American male teenager. We've seen American Pie and the plethora of similarly themed teen movies emphasizing the need for men to get out there and score with as many attractive (yet reluctant) women as he can. The pressure's on, and it's OK for guys to sleep around.

But when it comes to women engaging in sexual acts, society looks upon them as unfavorable and devalues them, labeling them degrading names such as "whore", "slut", "hussy", and my least favorite, "cunt". Whereas men are considered sexually experienced after having had multiple partners, women are viewed as dirty, loose, and unwanted. Women are encouraged to save themselves and act ladylike to avoid garnering a "reputation". Think about those same American Pie movies: the women these guys are after are often nave and unaware of their sexual appeal, reluctant and "hard to get", and frequently sexually aloof. Sexually experienced women are considered "easy" and unladylike by the standards in our society.

It's not only men who label these women "sluts" and "whores". Women are quick to gang up on each other and are just as prone to spit the slurs as our male counterparts. Ladies, how many times have you gone out somewhere with a guy you're interested in and, when he gets hit on by another girl, you automatically label her a slut?

It doesn't end there. It seems that women cannot be both classy and sexually "promiscuous" in our society. American society is known for enforcing

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