For many years as a sociologist, I’ve watched how women’s bodies, sexuality, and relationships are treated differently in media coverage, compared to comparable men.

So when Jenna Ryu reached out to me for an interview for her USA Today article, I was thrilled to get to talk about why this is the case! This is a snippet from the article:

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[quoted from USA Today] Though there has been relatively little criticism about Anstead's reported new romance, Haack, on the other hand, defended herself against critics when going public with her new boyfriend, Joshua Hall, last week.

"So yes 'another relationship' and guess what. I’m 38 -I’ll do what I want," Haack wrote in response to those who said she was moving on too fast.

Experts say Haack isn't alone, and most women, and especially celebrities, face an unfair double standard about their dating history. From Kourtney Kardashian's romance with Travis Barker to Jennifer Lopez's alleged reconciliation with Ben Affleck, high-profile women are often shamed and criticized for moving on "too quickly" from a break-up, while men are praised for the same behaviors. Twitter users similarly sympathized when Jason Sudeikis broke his silence about his split from Olivia Wilde, who has taken the brunt of public opinion amid romance rumors with Harry Styles.

"In general, women tend to be vilified or maligned for any aspect of their relationship where they’re really taking charge of it and owning what they want to do. That isn't the case with men," says Jenn Gunsaullus, a sociologist and intimacy coach.

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If you subscribe to USA Today you can read the whole article with gender and sexuality insights by using this LINK.

I’ve also included screenshots of the article in this post!

-Dr. Jenn Gunsaullus, San Diego Sociologist, Intimacy Speaker, & Communication Coach