An intriguing Washington Post feature laments the passing of the “good ol’ days” of the male-female flirtation game:
In the spirit of gender equality, many a young woman has discarded the slow, subtle arts of flirtation and charm that females have used successfully on males for millennia, and replaced them with quick, direct strikes: punching her number into his cell phone memory, rubbing his shoulders, grinding with him on the dance floor, hooking up in the spare bedroom at a party.
I think that one of the cheif problems with the feminist movement is that rather than bringing equality to gender roles, it has encouraged women to step into roles of men. This negation of female sex roles has made the world of courtship even more confusing than it already was—though I think that “confusion” was an integral part of the game.
I refuse to “blame” “the feminists” for the hook-up culture. I mean, come on, a true feminist, who wants to be treated equally in life, is not going to put up with men treating her in a way she’s not comfortable with. The woman who hook-up and constantly feel used obviously don’t know what equality means. It means being treated with respect.
So don’t you dare blame me, and my hopes for equal pay for equal work, for women screwing around with men who see them as sex objects.
Oh yeah, and another thing – while I’m at it complaining. 😉
I can’t stand the fact that people might assume because I’m a Jane Austen fan, that I must be pro-war. Or because I believe in gay marriage under the law, that I must be for deleting the right to own firearms. I know gay men who love George W. Bush. I know gay men who are pro-war. I know people who are against gay marriage who are against the death penalty.
I’m sick of people thinking that because I think one thing, I automatically agree with them on another.
Like because I’m disatisfied with health care, and treatment of people with certain ailments, that I must be against making stricter laws on oxycotin prescriptions. Or because I would hope they make stricter laws on prescribing oxycotin, that I think drug addiction isn’t a disease.
It gets me really irritated these things.
Chloe,
You’ve made a good point and perhaps I should clarify. The feminist movement has not been all bad, as I see it. Equal pay for equal work, as you mentioned, is a really good result. Women’s suffrage is another. The problem is that many feminist leaders have offered forth the notion that because men and women have equal status, their roles should be equal as well (I’m thinking of things like ERA).
This thinking ignores and supresses the fact that men and women are indeed different, and therefore should behave in ways that pay proper respect to these differences.
I hope this clarifies things a little, although I’m afraid I can do little to alleviate your other sources of irritation—you’re on your own there.
This is a great article. Living in the same area as those interviewed, I definitely see the breakdown of dating–and the effects of the breakdown. I think that so many young women in places like DC, where people are so career-oriented, are afraid to admit that they really want old-fashioned courtship (or something like it). I’m definitely sending this to plenty of my girl friends! Oh, and I really like that it gives props to Southern girls! We know what’s up.