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Emma Roberts grew up in Lowell. A graduate of John Bapst Memorial High School, she is now a third-year government major at Smith College.
Growing up in northern Maine, I have always admired Sen. Susan Collins for her steadfast commitment to bipartisanship and her dedication to delivering tangible results for the people of Maine. As my senator and a leader poised to chair the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, she has consistently demonstrated the ability to navigate complex challenges with practicality and grace.
However, public discourse often centers disproportionately on Collins’ decisions — whether it be her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court or the possibility of supporting nominees like Pete Hegseth — revealing a troubling pattern of misdirected scrutiny toward women in leadership.
This disproportionate focus on Collins underscores what I see as a broader societal double standard, where women, particularly those in positions of power, are unfairly tasked with bearing responsibility for systemic failures. Why should Collins alone be held accountable for the confirmation of Kavanaugh or the reversal of Roe v. Wade? Why is it her sole burden to ensure candidates like Hegseth aren’t confirmed? Of the 100 members of the Senate, women comprise just 25 percent, yet much of the criticism falls on their shoulders, while the actions of the 75 percent male majority often escape equivalent scrutiny.
Take the voting patterns in the 2024 election as another example. Fifty-three percent of white women voted for Donald Trump, and this statistic has been weaponized to question their commitment to women’s rights. Yet, the focus rarely extends to the 60 percent of white men who voted the same way.
Why don’t we demand that men, too, explain their choices? Why isn’t there equal outrage questioning their regard for women’s autonomy and equality? This selective criticism reflects a deeply ingrained bias, where the burden to protect and advocate for women’s rights is disproportionately placed on women.
When laws restricting reproductive rights pass or historic rulings like Roe v. Wade are overturned, the backlash often targets prominent women leaders like Collins. While her vote to confirm Kavanaugh attracted intense criticism, it’s crucial to note that 45 men also voted in favor of his confirmation. Singling out Collins implies that her vote carries more weight than the collective actions of those men — a notion that perpetuates the toxic expectation that women must solve problems created and maintained by male-dominated systems of power.
If we truly care about advancing gender equality, reproductive rights, and representation, we must shift our focus to the systemic imbalance in power and hold the male majority accountable. Real change requires collective responsibility. It is not the sole duty of women like Collins to champion women’s rights in the Senate; every senator, particularly the male majority, bears that responsibility.
Furthermore, as we confront these systemic challenges, we must acknowledge that white women, myself included, have often failed to stand in solidarity with Black and Brown women. Recognizing this privilege is not enough, we must actively dismantle oppressive systems and prioritize intersectional advocacy.
Acknowledging these double standards is not an excuse; it is a call to action. Progress requires accountability from everyone, and until we hold all leaders to the same standard, we cannot expect to achieve a more just and equitable society.
