Men Are the Expendable Gender/Analysis: Difference between revisions

Females who target other females have to be unusually brutal in their violence to lose sympathy since the audience often considers female-on-female violence ([[Double Standard Rape (Female On Female)|and sometimes even rape]]) as [[Girl -On -Girl Is Hot|sexy and enticing]] or as a cute [[Cat Fight]], thus not worthy fretting over. On the other hand, a woman who is unable to defend herself unaided against ''another woman'' will often [[Real Women Don't Wear Dresses|lose audience sympathy for being that weak]]. Only if she targets young children may a woman be considered irredeemable.

Being viewed as less sympathetic than women by default has obvious [[Unfortunate Implications]] for men: in general, it is more socially acceptable for women to seek help or support from others, and they're more likely to actually get it. More than that, though, this trope contributes to systematic social problems that disproportionately affect men. Men are more likely than women to be homeless, to be victims of violent crime, and to be injured or killed in workplace accidents. Many countries, though no longer all, refuse to officially assign female troops to combat units (although non-combat troops frequently do end up in combat anyway); not only is every army in the world willing to put men on the front lines, men are often considered to have [[A Real Man Is a Killer|an obligation to defend their country in combat]] and may be pressured to join up, or even conscripted. Outside of war, men are often [[What Measure Is a Non -Badass?|viewed as cowards]] if they [[Non-Action Guy|shrink from fistfights]], and if a man and woman are attacked by a criminal, he tends to be viewed as [[Always Save the Girl|responsible for protecting her]], regardless of whether she's actually more capable. A man who faces a problem like [[Domestic Abuse]] is often either [[All Abusers Are Male|actively disbelieved]] if he goes to the authorities, or told that [[Henpecked Husband|he ought to be able]] to [[Men Don't Cry|handle it on his own]]; if he does get help, he's likely to [[I Was Beaten By a Girl|feel ashamed of it]]. This leads to the [[Fridge Logic]] of an abused man being expected to take care of himself, but if he does, and he defends himself, then he's a total bastard for raising a hand against a female, and if he doesn't, then he's a coward and doesn't deserve sympathy. And good luck drawing attention to these problems; advertising a social issue by pointing out how it affects women is more likely to draw public sympathy and inspire action.