Everyone talks about the sexual double standard that men and women are held to, and I won't disagree that it clearly exists. We pat guys like Tom Brady on the back for their sexual exploits, while we decry the sexually enlightened behavior of the Lindsay Lohans of the world.
However, you rarely hear about a potentially bigger double-standard. The double standard that BO and bad breath are held to. Now I don't think we need to debate that both bad breath and BO are more offensive than a drunk Bruins fan. But for some reason BO has a stigma around it that bad breath has somehow avoided.
Now I'm not trying to argue that BO should not be dealt with harshly, my qualm is that bad breath is tolerated like it was a Catholic sex abuse scandal. Going all the way back to grade school, teachers pull aside the smelly kid (every class has at least one) or his parents to let them know that Johhny may need to start rolling on a little old spice in the mornings. It's the same when you get into the working world. No one is going to give you a job if you come into the interview smelling like a 3-day old steak and cheese.
Why however do people get away with bad breath? Now I'm not talking about the occasional, I just ate a few loaves of garlic bread or a bag of Funyuns. That my friend is like catching someone after a workout, yeah they might smell a little bit but they get a pass. I'm talking about consistent bad breath. The kind where you cringe when the person comes over to talk to you at your desk because it smells like they brushed their teeth with dog shit.
We all know these people. We find them amongst our teachers, our coaches, our colleagues, and our friends. My question is why they are allowed to continue this assault on human decency. If a teacher stopped showering there would likely be some repercussions, if a friend smelled worse than a week-old dip cup, people would start to consider whether they really wanted to be seen with him. But people with dragon breath are allowed to haphazardly stink up whatever forum they are in with no repercussions. I've had it. Can we bad together to stop this injustice? What is the best way to politely tell someone to brush their freaking teeth or chew a stick of double mint? Come on, if Obama can take the White House, surely we can win back our right to live in a world free from bad breath. Am I crazy?
Is that Sucre from Prison Break?
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