On Sept. 6., Joe Jonas of the iconic band The Jonas Brothers and Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner confirmed that they were in the process of a divorce. In a joint Instagram statement, Jonas, 34, and Turner, 27, wrote that they “amicably” decided to end their four-year marriage. However, the smear campaign that followed would suggest that no matter what you do, you will be ruthlessly criticized if you are a woman in the public eye.

Immediately, tabloids pounced on the story with a clear agenda. Articles about Sophie Turner had headlines like “[Jonas] tried to ‘salvage’ marriage to [Turner] but her ‘partying’ took a toll and he filed for divorce as a ‘last resort’ to do what was ‘best’ for daughters” and “[Turner] spotted downing shots at a bar days before [Jonas] filed for divorce.” Meanwhile, articles about Jonas sported titles such as “[Jonas] Steps Out for Breakfast with His Two Daughters amid Divorce from [Turner]” as paparazzi photos of him out to breakfast with their two children began to go viral. It was clear the tabloids had chosen their side — Jonas was an attentive father, and Turner was an untamable party girl. But the internet did not buy it. Fans were quick to point out that the concocted narrative that Turner is a neglectful mother holds no merit and that attacking a woman’s motherhood is inherently misogynistic.

The Jonas Brothers are currently on the United States leg of their world tour, and Jonas and Turner’s daughters have been traveling on tour with the band. However, Turner has been filming the upcoming television series “Joan” in Europe. Logically, Jonas would be with the children because he is not the parent currently working abroad.

Jonas is not “father of the year” for doing the bare minimum and feeding his children in the same way that Turner is not a “bad mother” for working. Some internet users have suggested that Turner should be at home with her young children rather than shooting a new series in another country. But why would she be obligated to give up her career if Jonas is not? By the same school of thought, he should not be on tour currently. The idea that a woman’s life has to revolve solely around her children is harmful rhetoric used to subordinate women and confine them to domestic life.

Eagle-eyed fans also pointed out that the photos of Turner “downing shots” were from a wrap party celebrating finishing filming in the United Kingdom for “Joan” before moving on to Spain to film the rest. Wrap parties are a tradition when filming is complete. Why should she be the only actor facing backlash for attending such a common occurrence, especially when her male counterparts do it all the time? Just because she has young children does not mean she should not be able to have a drink and celebrate her hard work. Even if it is true that Turner likes to go out and drink, is that an issue? Just because she has children does not mean she should not be able to do the same things as other people in their 20s.

Another issue that irks me about this “party girl” narrative is that, in heterosexual relationships, if the man is the one who goes out and parties, they often do not receive criticism as harshly as the woman in the relationship. In fact, it can be expected for the man to enjoy partying and the woman to prefer staying at home. It is only when we see this reversal of roles that people adopt this holier-than-thou attitude where women are looked down upon for the same things men do. In a society that claims to treat men and women equally, we cannot continue to perpetuate this double standard.

Society places impossible expectations on mothers and women in general. If you have a life outside of your children, you are not an attentive mother, and if you stay at home, you’re lazy. While it is unfair for the public to speculate about the parenting of either party, the media’s rush to label Turner as a lousy mother while excusing Jonas’ actions stems from a societal trend to make women scapegoats.

It is impossible to escape sensationalized social media headlines, so it is essential to think critically about what you consume and what biases may be present. There does not need to be a villain in the Turner-Jonas divorce. We, the public, must accept that we do not know what caused their marriage to fall apart and that we are not entitled to that information.

Jordan Ori is an undeclared sophomore.