Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
The same behavior is judged differently based on age and gender, revealing double standards in maturity expectations.
In plain terms
Men acting childlike are cute; boys acting childlike are told to grow up.
What can you take from it?
Recognize how society judges identical behavior differently by age and gender.

Where it applies

  • parenting
  • workplace
  • education

Putting it to work

  • notice inconsistent standards
  • question maturity judgments

Questions to consider

  • Where do you see double standards for boys and men?
  • Why do we expect boys to mature faster?

Another view

Some age-based expectations are reasonable for safety.

More from Orson Scott Card

  1. Petra,' said Rackham, 'don't you understand that we love you children? All of you? We already had to send Ender away. We're sending them all away, except for y…

    Permalink to quote #315
  2. I think that I say those things that make people so angry, not because I really mean them, but because I simply thought of a clever way to say them. It's a kin…

    Permalink to quote #317
  3. Besides, you only like the asteroid because it was named Eros and that's as close to sex as you've ever gotten.

    Permalink to quote #314

Related quotes

  1. 'If I can reach 50 without growing up then I don't have to.'

    Joe HaldemanJoe Haldeman quote #2
  2. Well, the old theory was 'marry a older man because they're more mature'. But the new theory is 'men don't mature - marry a young one'.

    Rita RudnerRita Rudner quote #3
  3. What is an adult? A child blown up by age.

    Simone De BeauvoirSimone De Beauvoir quote #6