Cancel culture, a phenomenon where individuals receive public condemnation for perceived offensive actions or statements remains a prominent aspect of today’s society. Daily, a numerous number of “tea” pages sprout across all social media platforms, providing audiences with an update on the newest canceled influencers and celebrities. While cancel culture had the intention of serving as a tool for accountability, many double standards exist, especially with women.
Women often find themselves under intense scrutiny for their actions, be it online or offline. While accountability is essential, there is a fine line between constructive criticism and disproportionate backlash. Compared to disagreeable actions done by men, women’s mistakes tend to be magnified, leading to severe consequences that can impact their personal and professional lives. For example, back in 2020, TikToker and boxer, Bryce Hall, was filmed getting into a fight with Cinco Mexican’s restaurant staff, according to a video posted by TMZ. The influencer told the publication that the incident started when he and his friends started vaping on the patio, which is illegal at restaurants in LA. After being asked to leave the establishment, Bryce resisted, leading to the manager attempting to drag the TikToker out of the restaurant, which led to the physical altercation. This incident received laughs, eye-rolls, and a small amount of backlash, with the phrase “boys will be boys” disguising as Hall’s number one supporter. The incident received attention for a mere few days before people moved onto the next tea. On the other hand, also back in 2020, TikToker sisters, Charli and Dixie D’Amelio received criticism for their unpleasant attitudes towards their personal chefs. During one of their episodes of “Dinner with the D’Amelios,” the family sat down to a dinner prepared by chef Aaron May. The personal chef cooked a multicourse meal, but the D’Amelio sisters seemed unappreciative. At one point, Dixie tried one of the dishes that included snails and paella, to which she turned away from the table, appearing to vomit. This clip of the video went viral, with their names appearing on podcasts, tea pages, YouTube videos, and articles. The drama lasted for weeks with many influencers turning to their social media platforms to voice their opinions on the incident. In this case, both Bryce Hall and the D’Amelio sisters acted rude and unappreciative towards employees, however, only one party received a disproportionate amount of backlash as an attempt to hammer appreciative thoughts into the D’Amelios’ heads. Such examples continuously occur where men receive less severe consequences for comparable actions, while women face harsher judgment. This imbalance perpetuates the notion that women are held to higher standards, making it difficult for them to navigate the cancel culture landscape.