How Our Culture Glorifies One Sex Over the Other in Dating Essay

In his musings â€Å"A Note on Vulnerability and Responsibility†, Hugo Schywyzer comments, â€Å"Men, it seems, can’t distinguish being wanted as a partner and being needed as a protector and provider. † Women have always been held in high regard when it comes to dating. This is because women, through time, have always been viewed as weak and in need of protection. This view has carried over to our new era of woman empowerment and independence. These views have slowly changed over the decades though and beginning in the 1960’s, women have slowly evolved into an equal partnership with men. These days, women and men earn their place in their relationships. The glorification is no longer automatic even while you are simply dating one another. Men have traditionally held the more responsible role of being mature and more understanding in a relationship. These days though, maturity and respect in a relationship are considered a two-way street where a dating couple would rather find a common middle ground rather than the man letting the woman have her way in the relationship. Although a woman’s decision is still glorified in terms in dating, women today tend to use their prerogative to find an outlet that they both will enjoy. It is no longer just a woman who must enjoy a date these days and the women prefer it that way. Although, the continually evolving area of dating has proven that women do not necessarily have to date. It is perfectly acceptable for women to opt for independence and remain single. Women no longer like being placed on a pedestal where men seemingly glorify them for the sake of their egos. Women no longer respond in a resigned manner to sexist treatment. Women will no longer accept that she is inferior and, judged to be mentally inferior to the male. Women feel respected these days when a man listens to what she has to say and considers her suggestions. Men seem to prefer a woman who shares her thoughts because the responsibility for dating enjoyment and relationship building no longer falls squarely on the man’s shoulders. Consider my personal situation as an example. I work in the Armed Services and yet it does not affect my relationship with men. Instead of being threatened by my position, which used to be solely a man’s job, most men who know me admire me for my courage and sense of duty and responsibility. These are traits that I carry over into my personal relationships that produces a smooth flowing and open line of communication and understanding with my partner. Since we both have input into how to improve our relationship, we have built a strong bond that cannot be questioned and need not be doubted. We are equals and partners in everything we do. These days, a man is no longer relegated to the protector and provider role. This evens out the responsibility in a relationship and allows the woman to ask her man to treat her as an equal while still being vulnerable and in need of protection. It can be said that men now treat women as their equal in every way even with the limitations set in place not by man, but by Mother Nature herself. Our culture no longer dictates that we glorify one sex over the other when it comes to dating. A woman no longer needs to pretend to be vulnerable and like a porcelain doll just to make the man feel strong. Men now get their glorification by living up to their commitments and vows in a relationship. Glorification of one sex over the other is no longer the norm. The bible lectures women to be submissive to their husband, that has not been the case for decades now. These days, women have the right to say no if she feels a situation is not right for her. Men can no longer assume for example, that when he says he is moving to another state, his girlfriend or wife will automatically go with him. Women these days have more things to consider like their jobs, family, friends — unlike before when she was simply a stay at home person who was expected to do a man’s bidding. M These days, a woman’s opinion is recognized as needed and therefore must be considered. Dating these days are based on totally new sets of rules based on woman empowerment and independence. Certain sports like soccer, golf, tennis, and basketball now have equivalent female leagues. While activities such as rock climbing, handy work around the house, and car repairs, which used to be the sole realm of men have seen a fair share of women accomplishing the same tasks without the hindrances one may have ordinarily expected. Responsibility of making a relationship, or even just a simple date, work is now a shared task that no longer glorifies or spotlights one sex over the other. This I further reinforced by the mass media of today with shows such as Sex at the City, Friends, Grey’s Anatomy, and Alias. All the women on these shows equal their male counterparts in every way. The barriers of social enjoyment have been torn down by these shows and empowered women to become an active participant in choosing their life mate. These shows encourage woman to take the initiative for dating or any other companionship activity provided that she is comfortable doing so. It is okay for a woman to be aggressive to a certain degree. A woman asking a man out on a date is no longer frowned upon since men can sometimes be just as shy as the woman when asking for a date. It is okay for a woman to change her own flat tire. It is no longer an issue if a woman has more intellectual know how than men. Women like these gain the respect of the significant other who glorify the woman who earned the right to be treated equally and not because tradition and society has dictated it to be that way. Society now dictates the women prove themselves if they want to be respected. Women have proven it many times over. Women are now leading and formidable figures in the fields that were exclusively for men in the past such as politics (Hillary Clinton – senator), and business (Oprah Winfrey – Mass Media). Outline of † How Our Culture Glorifies One Sex over the Other in Dating† Lead-in – There is a belief that our culture glorifies one sex over the other when it comes to dating. Thesis – â€Å"These days our culture no longer glorifies one sex over the other in dating because all responsibilities and tasks are now a shared effort on the part of the man and woman. † Conclusion: Be it a male or female, the dating couple want to earn the respect of their partner and earn the respect and glorification that is accorded to them as a productive significant other in the dating relationship. Works Cited: Hugo Schwyzer. November 03, 2005 A Note On Vulnerability and Responsibility. Retrieved January 4, 2007 from http://hugoboy. typepad. com/hugo_schwyzer/2005/11/on_a_more_serio. html