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In reply to the discussion: Data Gathering Poll - Do Men Enjoy Looking at Women? [View all]meadowlander
(4,820 posts)Women are not put on this earth to be looked at. Not "men should not be looking at women".
Straight men might like to look at them but that is not the reason the woman exists in most situations. Most of the time she's just buying bread or doing her job or talking to her friend or any of the other millions of reasons a woman, as a variation of human being, might want to exist in a public space.
The problem is when either:
1. it goes beyond a normal look registering the existence of the woman and turns into staring, catcalling, space crowding, taking pictures without consent, abnormally solicitous attention (like holding the door open for her and letting it slam in the face of her obese friend) or any other variation of creeping on a woman who is just going about her day.
2. the price of entry into a situation is a woman looking "presentable" and "presentable" is defined as "attractive to the male gaze". For example, black tie work networking events where a woman would be turned away at the door if she wasn't wearing a cocktail dress, heels and make up.
That's what your friend is talking about. Not "men you must train yourself to never look at a woman let alone register attraction!" It is possible to look at a woman you think is attractive and also register her as a human being who deserves respect and it is possible to acknowledge the existence of and extend respect to women whose sole goal in life is not to appear attractive to you.
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