In his response to Bethany Biron’s article about trends in women sexual culture, Jeffrey McMahon completely reframes and misrepresents the issue as black and white. He looks down at those living a promiscuous lifestyle, calling it immature, underclassman-like behavior, and he says that the guys on campus need to man up and treat women like the princesses that they are.
But in denouncing the sexual objectification of women, McMahon becomes a proponent of a whole different kind of objectification: viewing women as spineless creatures dependent on men. His outlook is entirely based on the assumption that women are incapable of being socially and sexually independent and that they need a man to make them feel good about themselves.
Undoubtedly, some women would like to be treated as princesses, but I think just as many, if not more, would rather be treated as equals. A real man can care about a woman and “cherish her heart” by treating her with respect, not putting her on a pedestal.
Nathan Chesterman is an LSA junior.