Recently, actress Ashley Judd was quoted lamenting “the objectification of girls and women and this hypersexualization of our society that invites” criticism of women’s looks. This after People magazine said that the 43 year old actress looked “puffy” during recent publicity rounds to promote a new movie.
The “sexual objectification of women”, viewing them merely through the lens of sexuallity….now there is some good 60′s feminist rhetoric for you. Problem is, no one knows what the hell you are talking about when you use terms like that. And I have proof of this.
For the last few years, I have offered the following comment for shock value: the older I get, the more I find myself objectifying women. My comment has been met with “huh?” and bovine stares. No one gets my twist on 1960′s feminist rhetoric without explanation.
Being someone who rides a bicycle 22 miles most days in a constant battle with my own midsection, I recently also tried “I need a woman like my bicycle needs a fish”. No luck there either.
When faced with a particularly uninformed opinion offered by a woman, I have been known to mumble “they never should have given women the vote”. Now that does get a reaction, and may explain why I have yet to hold elected office.
Black people complain about the “racial divide”, but it is not nearly as problematic as the “facial divide”. In separating the cute females from the uncute, and being largely a face-man, I find it useful to think in terms of a “facial divide”. The facial divide is what separates an attractive women from someone not-so-hot, but it is also chasm that Ashley Judd is now crossing as she transitions from cute-as-a-button to once-cute (e.g. Lauren Bacall). However, classifying women based on face alone leaves most of the female body unobjectified, and so my theory of the “facial divide” will not be a useful tool for most men.
Like Marxists, feminists are good at identifying a problem, while often offering silly solutions. Men objectify because our genes are what they are. Female behavior can be explained the same way. You might be able to change the behavior, but the underlying instinct will still be there.
H.L. Mencken, whose wit you will often see quoted in my writings, once remarked that a misogynist is a man who hates women as much as other women hate each other. Put no obstacles in the way of any women’s (or man’s) career path, treat everybody fairly, be able to laugh about the rest and then the rest will take care of itself. Do this, and you will never be accused of objectification, let along be asked to spell it.