2fer Final Draft

Brittany Cooper  

Air Stream

The double standard rule according to dictionary.com is any code or set of principles containing different provisions forone group of people than for another, especially an unwrittencode of sexual behavior permitting men more freedom than women.”  

There are certain expectations that society already has set out for individuals. Whether a man or a woman, gender roles will always have a judgement on certains actions. The common double standard rule affects women just as much as men. An example of the double standard rule is the controversy of the physical interaction of men and women abusively. Its in unacceptable for a man to put his hands on a woman. But okay for a woman to put her hands on a man if it means “defending” herself.  It's about the double standard that actually punishes men for domestic violence MORE than women.


Due to the fact that society portrays men in a certain way he is bound to act tough and obtain control at all times. Researchers believe that there is a universal gender role towards men. It is said  all men are to server as a protector and a provider. Researchers also believe that there is a universal gender role towards men. It is said  all men are to server as a protector and a provider. As a protector they should defend what is theirs. As a provider they should insure the safety and take care of those whom belong.


When being an athlete they are sponsored by many high endurance companies. As an famous athlete in a public eye, conducting oneself accordingly is a must.  are responsible for the actions as individual and when associating with others from another group. Why is it acceptable for a woman who was charged with a assault keep her NSL career but Ray Rice charged with assault as well is at the process of losing his job.  This brings you back to domestic violence. According to the MintPress News, women are three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by their male counterpart than vice versa. However more than  830,000 men are a victim to domestic violence every year. Every 37.8 seconds a man is a victim of domestic violence. In 2001, The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health surveyed about 14,320 people between the age of 18 & 28, a statistic was discovered. When committing acts of domestic violence more women than men were responsible( 25% vs. 11%).  


Hope Solo, 33, is a Women’s National soccer player. Her position on the team is goalkeeper. She has been goalkeeping since 2000. In June 23,2014 Hope Solo, was arrested on the charger of domestic violence according to the NY Post. She allegedly got into a physical altercation with two family members. It is told that Solo was supposedly intoxicated at the time of the altercation according to police. One victim, identifying as a 17- year old nephew, who bleeding from a cut from his ear.  When she attacked her nephew punching him in the face, while saying that his was “too fat & crazy” to be a pro athlete. Another victim as her half sister who’s was left with a cheekbone that was swollen and purple. Who tried to break up the fight. Hope Solo has pleaded not guilty to two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence. She is scheduled to go to trial in November. If she found guilty she can face up to 6 months in jail. With all this being said the U.S Soccer in still allowing her to play in U.S -WNT.


Ray Rice, 27, is a football player for The National Football League. He is a running back for the Baltimore Ravens. He was drafted in 2008, and has played as a Ravens player since 2008. On March 27, 2014 Ray rice was charged with 3rd degree aggravated assault. He was caught on camera punching his the Fiance now wife unconscious in a elevator. This is prior to his arrest of domestic violence on February 15, after having a physical altercations with his then fiancée, Janay Palmer at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, NJ according to ESPN  as well is at the process of losing his job.

However a recent video posted by TMZ shows that Janay Palmer hit Rice while walking in the elevator. When they enter the elevator there was a exchangement of words. At that point Rice leans his face towards Palmer, which lead to Janay to shove Rice away. any his finacée by her arms out of an elevator, laying her on the floor.  ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbwTMJroTbI → Link to the Video ) .

As a result according to NBC Sports, Ray Rice is currently suspended indefinitely by the NFL. However Ray Rice is filing for an appeal on the indefinite suspension. The decision towards suspending Ray Rice was appropriate . However he should not be suspended indefinitely. I say this because Hope Solo is being charged on similar accounts and still is able to keep her career. Just because you are a woman does not give up the right to be able to be physical with a person in a negative way, as to a man. Domestic Violence should not be viewed based upon gender but upon acts .



Work Sited

  1. NBC Sports. "Ray Rice to Appeal Indefinite Suspension On Monday." ProFootballTalk. Independent Programming Report, 2012-2014. Web. 06 Oct. 2014. <http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/14/ray-rice-to-appeal-indefinite-suspension-on-monday/>.

  2. "Hope Solo and the Domestic Violence Case No One Is Talking about." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2014. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/09/19/hope-solo-and-the-domestic-violence-case-no-one-is-talking-about/>.

  3. Peyser, Andrea. "Double Standard Allows Soccer Star Hope Solo to Stay in the Game." New York Post. NYP Holdings, Inc., 06 Oct. 2014. Web. 06 Oct. 2014. <http://nypost.com/2014/10/06/double-standard-allows-soccer-star-hope-solo-to-stay-in-the-game/>.

  4. Services, ESPN.com News. "Ravens' Ray Rice indicted." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 05 Oct. 2014. <http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10684250/ray-rice-baltimore-ravens-indicted-aggravated-assault>.

  5. "Woman As Aggressor: The Unspoken Truth Of Domestic Violence." MintPress News. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2014. <http://www.mintpressnews.com/woman-aggressor-unspoken-truth-domestic-violence/196746/>.


Comments (5)

Nagee Graves (Student 2016)
Nagee Graves

This was an great paper! Double standards are an everyday issue that needs to be addressed. Its nice to see that there are people who know this standard is one that is shameful. The stats are a great touch to add strength to your paper. Next time I have a paper involving number, I can use this a reference

Adowa Mohamed (Student 2016)
Adowa Mohamed

I feel like this was a good paper but can be taken many different ways. One counter argument is that either way domestic violence is wrong. There's no justifying it. I disagree with Kristina when she says "Also that a women can not properly defend herself as a man can when they are attacked by a women." If this is the case… then no one should of been hitting anyone. I don't believe Ray Rice should be indecently suspended but I do think what he did was wrong and his wife was also wrong. There are other ways of going about things.

Soledad Alfaro-Allah (Student 2016)
Soledad Alfaro-Allah

Your 2fer expanded my thinking by directly addressing the issue of a double standard specifically looking at that of the woman. As opposed to going into a bit about race which is also a popular place to address the issues of double standards. It is a struggle in the context of the constant degradation that the woman is required to face and by you using that dictionary definition puts in color.

Kristina Scalia-Jackson (Student 2016)
Kristina Scalia-Jackson

I think that your 2fer expanding my thinking in a few different ways. The most obvious was that you were standing up for the double standard affected men, and writing as a women. I think thats great you are able to think without a big biased (never really gone) and that you and not just favoring your gender. It make me think about why everyone can't think like that. Before looking at your examples I assumed their would be a sports example because of all the controversy those domestic violence cases get. But I think using those examples at all give a counter argument, or a counter approach/ bigger topic of how those athletes are dealt with. I agree with what you are saying about male athletes versus women's consequences but it makes me wonder how your paper could have been without mentioning sports at all. But in an over all sense, people that "stand for equality" but treat women as weak and fragile things can counter "its not right". Also that a women can not properly defend herself as a man can when they are attacked by a women.

Sergei Mass (Student 2016)
Sergei Mass
  1. It made me think about all of the recent stories of abuse in the media in a different way, but I still cannot grasp anything positive around a man hitting a woman, its purely against my morals.

  2. One counter argument is that a Man hitting a Woman is morally wrong and under self protection situations, it should be for restraint, not to put them close to death.