Since the beginning of civilization, every culture, family and society known to humankind – no matter how stark their ideological or ethnic differences may be – share an impassioned love for blaming one demographic for all of the world’s drawbacks: women. Whether it be fanatic Catholic evangelists insisting that Eve was the sole perpetrator of original sin, or alpha male podcasters claiming that toxic femininity is the genesis of every modern man’s woes, it’s crystal clear that women are always the problem. But…are they really? Or are women just easy targets for blame and condemnation?

Yoko Ono broke up the Beatles, Monica Lewinsky caused the impeachment of Bill Clinton, Jada-Pinkett Smith forced Will to slap Chris Rock and Taylor Swift is destroying the game of football. Time and time again, we have been witnesses to society’s tradition of declaring women – especially those who stand in the public eye – liable for every inconvenience or upsetting situation we encounter. But, why are women condemned so much more than men are?

The biggest root cause of this discriminatory habit is the systematic holding of women to higher moral and emotional standards than their male counterparts. Whenever a man acts irrationally or immaturely – whether by inappropriately talking about his female colleagues with his friends, insulting a bartender for disturbing him as he watches a basketball game or hardly being involved in his child’s life – his actions are overlooked and excused by a plethora of misogyny-fueled idioms (“boys will be boys”, “that’s just locker talk”, “he’s a passionate sports fan” or “he’s doing his best”, to name a few). Yet, women are expected to fulfill all of their professional and domestic responsibilities, control their emotions, be kind to others, look pretty and be moderately assertive in a way that doesn’t threaten the power of the men in their life, all without receiving any praise or recognition. Because of how deeply ingrained these double standards are within society’s collective mindset, it seems perfectly reasonable to condemn a woman for acting in a way that doesn’t meet all of our inherently sexist expectations.

In short, constantly blaming women has become a way of defending and directing attention away from the immaturity, irrationality and irresponsiblity of men’s actions. It’s easier to condemn Taylor Swift for attending her boyfriend’s football games than it is to get upset with the National Football League (NFL) – the ever-so-loved sanctuary for masculinity – for making a spectacle out of her presence. It’s easier to slut-shame Monica Lewinsky for seducing Bill Clinton than it is to admit that Clinton – the ever-so-trustworthy President of the United States – made the irresponsible, predatory decision to pursue a relationship with his 22-year-old intern. And it’s easier to blame Jada Pinkett-Smith for giving Will Smith a ‘dirty look’ than it is to face the fact that Will Smith – the ever-so-adored Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – slapped Chris Rock upon his own free will. Recognizing the highly flawed actions of these men would mean completely shattering the age-old narrative that women are always dramatic, overly emotional and, most importantly, wrong. Yet, this narrative forces women through endless cycles of unnecessary scrutiny, denunciation and humiliation – and it needs to stop now.

Now, I am not saying that everyone should be let off the hook for their heedless choices, nor am I suggesting that we create some sort of ‘boys will be boys’ equivalent for girls. But, I do believe it is imperative that we regularly check ourselves for potential gender-based biases before we blindly denounce and scrutinize a female public figure for doing something upsetting. We must reevaluate the ethical standards that we hold men and women to, and how those standards may fluctuate and differ.

So, before you criticize and vilify a woman in the limelight for doing something wrong, take a step back and ask yourself, “Am I genuinely upset about what this woman did, or is she just a convenient place for me to direct my anger and frustration towards? Would I be just as upset if a man were to do the same thing?” If you ultimately feel that your criticism towards this woman is valid and genuine, try to also find male celebrities who have made similar irresponsible decisions to ensure you are not unintentionally encouraging the unjust scapegoating of women.

If you’re going to denounce Taylor Swift for her excessive carbon emissions, also denounce Drake, Elon Musk, Travis Scott or any other male public figure who has also selfishly contributed to climate change. If you’re going to denounce Jada Pinkett-Smith for ‘prompting’ her husband to physically assault someone in front of hundreds of people, also denounce Will Smith himself for actually following through with it. Let’s not let history repeat itself; don’t make Yoko, Monica, Jada and Taylor the new Eves.