There is a significant double standard in how society discusses gendered socialization that needs to be addressed. When a woman exhibits misogynistic attitudes, the general consensus is that she is a victim of her environment. We frequently use terms like internalized misogyny to describe how cultural pressure and systemic structures teach women to view themselves and others through a biased lens. In these cases, society rightly acknowledges that these views were not present at birth but were instead socialized into her over time.

However, the moment the conversation shifts to men, that nuance completely evaporates. Instead of viewing misogyny as a systemic issue or a result of lifelong indoctrination, it is often treated as a personal and inherent flaw. It is as if society believes men are born with the knowledge of these attitudes rather than learning them from the exact same system that women inhabit. Men are raised with the same cultural scripts and the same media influences, yet they are rarely afforded the same recognition of being products of their upbringing.

This perspective relies on a biological fallacy that suggests men are naturally prone to these behaviors. If misogyny were truly an innate male trait rather than a learned behavior, it would not persist in the face of modern legal and social consequences. Most men do not want to be social pariahs. They adopt these attitudes because they were raised in a culture that rewards certain behaviors while socially punishing those who refuse to follow the established rules. By ignoring the role of indoctrination, it becomes impossible to actually solve the problem because structural flaws are being conflated with individual nature.

It is frustrating to see the systemic excuse used to provide empathy for one group while the other group is told their flaws are just part of their nature. We need to start acknowledging that men do not live in a vacuum. We are part of the same broken system and are conditioned by it from day one. Real progress can only happen when we admit that men also learn these behaviors and are not naturally predisposed to them.