Is it sexist double standards for Gwyneth Paltrow to rank her ex’s in bed?

Especially when it comes after the debate over actor Pedro Pascal and his sexual objectification by women, which resulted in him declining to read “thirst” tweets about himself during an uncomfortable red-carpet interview.

I agree that on the surface this could easily be labelled as reverse sexism. The problem, however, is that’s actually not a thing.

Sexism exists because women have been objectified for their bodies since time began, which has resulted in men being prioritised in fundamental areas of life like work and healthcare.

Before any men reading this eye roll, the facts speak for themselves. The UK government announced a £25 million investment in women’s health hubs to address the gender health gap last year and just this month, The Guardian reported four out of five employers still pay women less.

Of course, by far the most horrific thing this lifetime of objectication has led to is violence. Between April 2020 and March 2021, 177 women were murdered in England and Wales. In cases where the suspect was known, 92% of these women were killed by men. Meanwhile the year ending September 2021 saw the highest number of sexual offences ever recorded against women, with a total of 40,572. It’s worth noting these are only the reported cases.

To put it simply, the power balance that has existed since time began means that Gwyneth ‘objectifying’ her ex-boyfriends doesn’t result in real life consequences for them. Brad and Ben won’t need to worry about being paid less than their female co-stars. They won’t have to live with debilitating pain because their health concerns have historically never been investigated due to their gender and they won’t have to text their friend when they get home after a night out.

Having said all that, it’s not helpful. Yes, I know ‘helping’ is a stereotypical gender role, but we all know how it feels to be sexually objectified. Why would we want someone else to feel that way?

We also know that despite having the facts, research and statistics to back it up, institutional sexism remains a problem and one that many men simply refuse to believe.

So, while I’m sure Brad and Ben are sharing some iconic WhatsApp messages this morning, let’s not fan the flames of Internet misogynists any further.