Blaming Eve

Gender bias has been around for a long time. Since the beginning of time women have been attributed undesirable characteristics. The story of Adam and Eve isn’t just a religious tale for Sunday school; it’s one of the earliest and most enduring narratives that’s shaped how we think about men, women, and morality. And spoiler alert: Eve doesn’t come out looking great.

Let’s take a look at the story. Eve is created from Adam’s rib—already positioning her as an afterthought, subordinate to men, not an equal. Then, she becomes the ultimate temptress. After she eats the forbidden fruit, she convinces Adam to do the same, and suddenly they’re both naked and ashamed. She’s demonstrated poor judgement and a lack of self-control. But who gets the blame? Eve. She’s the reason, the story goes, that pain, suffering, and sin entered the world. Apparently, poor Adam couldn’t help himself when overcome for his desire for Eve.

And so, a long history of tainted women begins. Cleopatra, Mata Hari and Lady Macbeth are just a few examples of what can happen when a woman has her way. Women have been painted as temptresses, emotional liabilities, and sources of chaos. Their ability to make rational decisions and hold leadership roles have been questioned. On the other hand, society has decided that if a woman is not a vixen then she must be a type of Madonna ( the blessed one, not the singer). Florence Nightingale and Mother Theresa nicely fill this niche. Or in a pinch, the perfect wife and mother as exemplified by Margaret Anderson in the classic Television show, Father Knows Best. Any way you look at this it’s clear that women have been categorized because of gender bias. Saint or sinner. Pick one.

Gender bias today shows up in wage gaps, glass ceilings, double standards around sexuality, and the assumption that women are less logical or more emotional. It’s the unspoken subtext behind questions like “Was she asking for it?” or “Can she really lead?

It’s interesting to note that the qualities valued in men are often viewed as undesirable traits in a woman. In the workplace an assertive, confident, authoritarian man is seen as a leader, while the same high-impact traits in a woman makes her a bitch. .

Maybe it’s time to tell review that ancient tale of Adam and Eve. Eve wasn’t weak. She was curious. She questioned. She reached. That’s not a flaw—it’s the beginning of progress.