Bashing the Mistress Instead of the Man

Image Courtesy: Strike Magazine Tallahassee

In the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death, there has been a new conversation surrounding the newly instated princess consort, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall. Many people have taken to social media to remember- who many are calling- the true queen, Princess Diana. While Diana was and will continue to be a cultural icon beloved by those across the world, why is it that we always bash the mistress and not the mister? This narrative of the royal family’s scandal being revisited in the media is simultaneously taking place while cheating allegations regarding Adam Levine and his mistress Sumner Stroh have taken center stage. Adam Levine broke the news this past week through Sumner reposting the popstar's DMs on social media. People were outraged by the messages of Levine requesting to use Sumner’s name as a potential name for Levine’s soon-to-be-born baby. Similarly, Khloe Kardashian's son was born via surrogate, calling the media to reflect on the Kardashian’s newest member's cheating father, Tristan Thompson. All of this attention regarding infidelity has made me think hard about how our society exposes and condemns the people that commit these actions.

Image Courtesy: News18

In my opinion bashing, the mistress in the media is a way in which society bolsters the patriarchy. What has caused me to believe this is how people are hell-bent and determined to “expose” the mistresses behind these epic cheating scandals. Why do we as human beings destroy lives by causing attention to these women? Furthermore, I am not neglecting the fact that women cheat. Women cheat every day as well; however, when I think back to the times when a woman has cheated, I can never remember the names of the men with which they cheated. This leads me to believe that these men weren’t trashed in the mainstream media for weeks and months on end.

Image Courtesy: Brides

Another prime example of how society drags these women into the spotlight and brutally attacks them is Monica Lewinsky. Lewinsky is the woman with which Bill Clinton cheated on his wife, Hillary Clinton. She has become a household name, however, not in the way she might have wished. While this story is atrocious in its unique ways, there are two details of this case that make it extraordinarily appalling and should cause any human to pause and reflect on the harmful ways in which society treats these women. The first was the humiliating court case, in which the intimate moments of her life were publicized and politicized. The second is that she has been referenced in over 128 songs (excluding remixes). She has been named in songs by artists such as Eminem, Lil Wayne, Jeezy, Nicki Minaj, and Beyoncé.

Image Courtesy: NME

So why do we bash these mistresses? This is all just a way to further bolster the male patriarchy and continue this idea of the sultry woman, who so captures the male gaze and lures him to do wrong. Why are these men’s names not mentioned in 100 pop songs, forced to relive this era of their life over and over again? Why does society make cheating a one-gender issue? In light of the future, let's teach our daughters to get up and walk away.

Strike Out,

Writer: Caroline Giddens

Editor: Racquel Gluckstern

Graphic Designer: Margaux Campion

Tallahassee