Our View: #Askhermore makes us think about the expectations of all women

KS Editors

The Academy Awards is one of the biggest nights for celebrity actors, all of whom will be wearing their best outfits and bringing their most important guests and significant others down the red carpet to join in the festivities. These A-listers then watch which of the best of Hollywood will go home with an Oscar.

The event leading up to the Academy Awards is the red carpet where entertainment journalists interview celebrities about their thoughts on the past year and recent events. But a social media movement has taken Twitter by storm about asking women deeper questions about what they are doing instead of what they are wearing, according to the Los Angeles Times.

#Askehermore is a movement that demands women on the red carpet be looked at more than objectified mannequins who are showcased by many more for their outfits rather than their accomplishments.

Last October, Jennifer Garner told Entertainment Tonight that she compared the questions she was asked with her husband Ben Affleck’s questions and found considerable differences. Garner said every single person asked her how she balanced life and family, compared to Affleck whose only repeated question was about the breasts on Emily Ratajkowski, his co-star in “Gone Girl”, during the “Blurred Lines” music video.

Although women have made great strides in equality in sharing the same stage as men, it is very apparent to many that women have a much smaller stage with a spotlight on their physical assets.

The same problems female actors face are the same as many women in other positions have to go through daily. Much like in universities, female professors are often expected to be easier graders and softer on deadlines.

Some female athletes might not be given more attention in their respective sport when compared to their masculine counterparts. When some female students are asked what their majors are, some might guess they are in education, nursing or fashion degrees instead majors in science, math and engineering.

Alice Zielinski recently wrote about her experiences in “Things People Say When You’re A Blonde Engineer At MIT” an article where students ask her questions demeaning to her integrity as an engineering student. Students asked her where she goes to school, even while wearing an MIT jacket. Others asked her if she did any “real” engineering, or just making advances at her.

Women have a glass ceiling above them in nearly every field and more movements are rising to combat sexist stereotypes directed toward women. Many times these stereotypes are perpetuated by others who may not be sexist themselves, but go through the motions like all of us without challenging the expectations set for women.

#askhermore is a banner to all forms of careers and institutions where women are expected to be a certain way or in a certain area when they can easily be capable to do whatever they want to or be whoever they want. A question can hold a lot of weight, but the answer itself can turn the tide of the topic to more important matters to have women have an equal type of attention as men in how they are perceived by the public.