Objectifying Objectification

There are a couple of different things that made me think of this one.

Recently, I went on a plutonic date with a lady friend. We went and saw a movie, and then she had some gift cards she wanted to use. We went to the first store and she looked through some things and then tried some things on. While I was waiting, I asked if she wanted me to hold anything. And she replied with "Oh! Um... no, I got it." I said okay and started browsing the colognes. After she made her purchases, the woman behind the counter placed her bag up and without a second's hesitation, I grabbed the bag with the intent to carry it for her. My friend began to look for her bag and noticed I had it. She said "I can get it" and began to reach for it. But I insisted. The shock in her face and voice was surprising to me. I only did what any gentlemen should. I mean, how difficult is it to carry a bag of clothing to the car? And yet, the shock was immense.

Another example of this comes from Senior Awards Night last April. I was seated toward the front, and several ladies were behind me, all wearing heels and skirts/dresses. Granted, at the time I didn't know that they'd be getting their names called every other award, but I digress. Whenever any of their names were called, I stood up, held out my hand to help walk them down the bleachers and then did the same thing when they returned. My parents were among the people in the audience, and apparently some women made a comment about how "chivalrous that young man is." And how "you just don't see that anymore." My dad told me later, that not any other guy got up and helped the women behind them down the bleachers. He said that they'd lean over to give them room, but that was about it.

How sad is that? How difficult is it to stand up and hold a hand out as a safe hold to prevent women from falling? How is it that men don't seem to care anymore? Why is it surprising when a guy wants to hold a door open? Or pay the bill on a date? How difficult is it to do those things? I mean, truly.

Go back a hundred years - fifty even - it was an EXPECTATION. Women weren't required to lift a finger. Men opened doors to buildings, cars, whatever. They stood up when a woman entered or left the room. Neither sex even thought about who was going to pay for anything - it was the man.

In those days, men were courting women. They were TRYING to show the women they were on a date with WHY the woman should like them. Doing EVERYTHING they could to show the woman what made them the optimal choice for a life partner, whether or not it was out of the way for them.

Today, though? Women are SURPRISED when guys do things like that.

Yeah. I know.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Why is it that women are viewed as...objects, almost? When did they become things used for reproduction and nothing more?

Now, don't get me wrong: there are still guys who try to do things in a gentlemanly way, but they are few and far between.

As for me, I do my utmost to treat women with the utmost respect. In my opinion, they should be treated as gifts, because that's exactly what they are. There's absolutely no excuse for treating a woman with anything but the utmost respect.

Chivalry isn't dead. Not yet.