Boys will be boys, often, when I was young I would hear that phrase after a boy did something wrong. It was a made up excuse everyone just recited instead of correcting the boy for his behaviors. As I have grown older that once innocent phrase now holds a terrifying definition.
Girls learn many things to get themselves safe: always carry mace, never walk home alone, buddy system, lock your cars doors as soon as you get in, never put down your drink, etcrea. Boys will be boys no longer meant it’s okay if they steal your toy. It now meant he will probably cheat on you, pressure you, use you, catcall you, lie to you, and do other unspeakable things. Yet in society boys are still not held responsible for their now dangerous actions towards women. The excuses now are he didn’t understand what you meant, he doesn’t know what it’s like, you’ll have to teach him he doesn’t know any better, and the worst of all the women is lying about what actually happened.
Why is it okay that a twenty-two year old boy can act with such disrespect. However, if a girl would to act in the same way he did, she should have known better. Girls also are more likely to be held responsible. Nowadays speaking out about a traumatic event that happen to a girl because of a boy can hold many dangers for the girl. She can be called a liar, bullied by the males’ peers/coworkers, looked down on, people will say “Oh she was asking for it”, and so many more twisted words to defend the male.
Yet boys are the ones in the government making rules for women even though most of their actions against women are ridden off now they also have the power to control women’s freedom to make her own choices. The recent Roe versus Wade decision has made me think much deeper into my childhood and how I, like many others girls were raised. It terrifies me that now in this country it is controversial wether women have the right to decide things for their own body. This although recent has already put thousands of women and girls in danger. I now question what is the next step the government will take to further control women. However, “boys will be boys, they just don’t understand.”
