Songs are a prime example of this gender inequity. In 2003, singer Martina McBride sang her lovely ballad “In My Daughter’s Eyes,” telling the heart-tugging tale of a mother who looks lovingly into her newborn daughter’s eyes and sees reflected there her daughter’s love for her. Where is a serious, beautiful song celebrating a father’s love for his newborn son? And, of course, there is Helen Reddy’s rousing, almost militaristic distaff anthem, “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar.” What about a masculine version of this song? Men can roar with pride about their gender, too.

Also, watch married couples being interviewed on TV by a news crew or in a commercial. More often than not, the wife usually does all the talking, answering the questions and making the comments. The husband, for his part, just sits there silently looking calm and serene, much like a decorative centerpiece on a dining room table.

Even breakfast cereals are not exempt from this favoritism. One day while grocery shopping, I was surprised to come across a box of cereal claiming proudly to be, “For women’s health!” “That’s nice,” I thought. “Let me see if I can find a box of cereal that says ‘For men’s health.’” But I find none. Apparently, the cereal companies don’t care about men’s health.