A sub-trope of the Double Standard. In media, female characters start with automatic audience sympathy because women are seen as moral, innocent, beautiful or simply because they have sexual value. Male characters are less likely to be seen that way and must earn audience sympathy by acting appropriately manly and heroic, which, more often then not, involves saving the Damsel in Distress. The consequences of this are complicated, but in summary: Examples of Men Are the Expendable Gender include: