When women are given advice about sex and clothing, when weâre advised to be chaste and modest, a striking amount of that advice compares us to consumer goods. Weâre told that weâre chewing gum, and nobody wants gum other people have chewed. Weâre told that weâre candy, and nobody wants candy without the wrapper. Weâre told that weâre iPads, so our manufacturer recommends using covers which protect us and make us more beautiful. Weâre told that weâre diamonds or pearls, buried deep in the ground or the ocean, valuable because weâre hard to reach. Weâre told that weâre shoes, and nobody wants used, smelly, second-hand shoes. Weâre told that weâre apples: the best are the hard-to-reach ones at the top of the tree, the worst are the rotten ones that fall off the tree and can be picked up by anyone, and only the best of men will go to the trouble of climbing the tree for the apples that are hard to get. Weâre told that weâre cars or expensive watches or wads of cash, and if weâre left unlocked, or are flashed in dangerous neighborhoods, we should expect to be stolen. Weâre told that weâre meat, and if weâre dangled in front of hungry dogs we should expect to get eaten. Weâre told that weâre cows and that sex with us is milk, and weâre asked why anyone would buy the cow if they could get the milk for free.
And somehow, all of this is supposed to make us feel valued, and is supposed to teach us to value ourselves.
I have some important information: Women are human beings. We are not gum or candy; we are not diamonds or iPads; we are not watches or wads of cash; we are not cows or milk. Women are human beings â and when you treat us like consumer goods, you are not treating us as valuable. It doesnât matter whether youâre treating us like expensive goods or cheap ones, whether youâre calling us diamonds or gum. When you treat us like consumer goods, youâre treating us as less than human. Youâre teaching others to treat us as less than human. And youâre teaching us to think of ourselves as less than human.