The Double Standards of the Male Gender

If I were to sit down and watch every chick flick I could think of, I would be able to pin point every way a guy should act and every thing a guy should say. In most movies guys are portrayed as the “mentally strong” hero of the ever-so-distressed female. Men are supposed to be strong, tough, and even a little rough around the edges. Hollywood finds the most gorgeous men to act out the roles of the “perfect” man, which makes girls fall head over heels for make-believe men. Of course this only hurts the males, whom most cannot look like these “typical” men, and forces them to be shot down when trying to get a date. Males know exactly what this heteronormative society wants them to look like; all they have to do is walk into an Abercrombie, Hollister, or American Eagle store. Since guys are bombarded with visuals on how they should look, how they should act is a whole different situation. Guys are supposed to be respectful to women in how they act and treat a woman, but how they act and treat her behind her back is completely different. When a guy is with a girl, he should open doors, help her out of the car, pay for dinner and protect her. Yet, society wants guys to “get some” and prove that they are manly and can control women. How are guys supposed to act? Society is directing them in two different directions, and if they do not do both they are outcasts that do not fit in. But, if they do listen to society and follow both directions, women are ashamed and look down on them. How are guys supposed to function in this heteronormative society?